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THE 


CATECHISM  OF  RODEZ 


EXPLAINED  IN  FORM  OF  SERMONS 

A  WORK  EQUALLY  USEFUL  TO  THE 

Clergy,  Religious  Communities,  and  Faithful 

BY  THE 

ABBE    LUCHE 

Now  this  is  eternal  life:  That  they  may  know 
thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
thou  hast  sent. — John  xvii.  3. 

TRANSLATED 

AND  ADAPTED  TO  THE  WANTS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  PUBLIC  BY 

REV.   JOHN   THEIN 

Priest  of  the  Diocese  of  Cleveland.    Author  of  «  Christian  Anthropology," 
"Answer  to  Difficulties  of  the  Bible,"  etc.,  etc. 


B.    HERDER 
17  South  Broadway,  St.  LoUis,  Mo. 

i8q8. 


Copyright,  1898 

BY 

REV.  JOHN  THEIN 


RECOMMENDATION 
Of  Rt.  Rev.  Ign.  F.  Horstmann,  D.  D.,  bishop  of  Cleveland. 


This  volume  of  Instructions  is  a  translation  of  Abbe  Luche's  "  Cate- 
chism of  Rodez  in  the  Form  of  Sermons,"  which,  from  its  first  appear- 
ance some  forty  years  ago,  has  remained  a  standard  work  for  French 
Catholics.*  We  are  sure  that  it  will  find  a  welcome  in  its  English 
dress,  at  the  hands  of  our  Clergy.  The  Instructions  go  over  the  whole 
of  Christian  Doctrine.  What  our  people  need  is  less  of  sermons,  but 
far  more  of  instruction.  Unless  they  know  their  holy  faith,  its  doc- 
trines, its  Sacraments,  its  practices  of  piety,  and  all  that  constitutes 
real  Catholicity,  they  cannot  love  it ;  if  they  do  not  love  it,  they  will 
not  practice  it ;  if  they  do  not  practice  it,  they  will  not  make  sacrifices 
for  it ;  and  sacrifice  is  the  very  soul  of  religion.  "  Overcome  thyself," 
is  the  foundation  of  morality,  and  all  morality  must  be  grounded  on  the 
truths  of  faith.  Any  one  who  has  had  experience  in  preaching  and  the 
direction  of  souls  must  have  learned  that  the  faithful  long  for  such 
practical  instructions. 

Father  Thein  has  done  good  service  in  translating  this  excellent 
work  of  Abbe  Luche,  and  we  hope  that  his  enterprise  will  receive  the 
encouragement  it  merits,  not  only  from  the  Clergy,  but  also  from  the 
laity. 


*  Abb^  Luche's  work  passed  throug-h  fourteen  editions. 

The  Translator. 


APPROBATION  OF  THE  BISHOP  OF  RODEZ 


We,  Louis-August,  by  the  divine  mercy  and  the  grace  of  the 
Apostolic  See,  bishop  of  Rodez,  on  the  report  of  our  Committee  for  the 
examination  of  books,  have  approved,  and  do  now  approve  by  these 
presents,  a  manuscript  entitled  :  "  Catechism  of  Rodez,"  in  so  far  as  it 
contains  nothing  that  is  not  conformable  to  the  teachings  of  the  Church, 
assured  that  the  publication  thereof  will  be  useful  to  the  faithful  of  both 
city  and  country  through  its  clear,  methodical,  and  well-considered 
exposition  of  the  dogmatical  and  moral  truths  of  religion. 

+        LOUIS, 

Bishop  of  Rodei 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 


In  the  abridged  explanation  of  the  Christian  Doctrine  which,  at  the 
repeated  instances  of  my  fellow-priests,  I  have  decided  to  give  to  the 
public,  I  have  followed  the  plan  of  the  "  Catechism  of  Rodez,"  without 
rigorously  confining  myself  to  its  text. 

When  I  undertook  this  long  and  difficult  work,  I  had  not  the  preten- 
sion of  offering  something  new,  at  least  not  in  the  main. 

The  object  has  been  to  sum  up  the  points  of  doctrine  and  to  con- 
dense them  in  such  a  manner  that  the  preacher  may  go  over  them  all, 
in  the  pulpit,  within  the  space  of  four  years  at  most,  as  the  spiritual 
well-being  of  his  congregation  may  require ;  to  avail  myself  of  the 
assistance  of  the  most  accredited  Catechists,  such  as  Noel,  Cambournac, 
Guillois,  Couturier,  Guillet,  Canisius,  Bressenvido,  Reinerie,  etc.,  and 
to  support  myself  on  the  contemporary  theology  of  Gousset  and  Gury  ; 
to  set  forth  the  truths  and  to  give  the  practical  details  with  simplicity, 
clearness,  and  method,  in  order  to  put  them  within  the  compass  of  the 
most  ordinary  intelligences ;  finally  to  dispose  the  form  of  my  instruc- 
tions in  such  a  manner  that,  by  the  unity  of  the  subject,  the  connection 
of  the  ideas,  and  an  uniformity  of  style,  they  may  serve  as  well  for 
sermons  as  for  catechetical  instructions. 

Such  has  been  my  programme  and  my  end.  I  shall  be  happy, 
indeed,  if  1  have  succeeded  in  fulfilling  the  former  and  attaining  the 
latter.     My  readers  shall  judge,  and  the  future  shall  tell  me. 

What  inspires  me  with  a  little  confidence,  is  the  favorable  judgment 
of  the  "Committee  on  Books"  which  took  such  great  care  in  examin- 
ing my  manuscript,  and,  especially,  the  high  approbation  of  Monseigneur 
Delalle,  our  well-beloved  prelate,  who,  by  his  learning  and  accomplish- 
ments, occupies  a  distinguished  rank  in  the  French  episcopate. 


FIRST  PART 

ON    FAITH   AND   THE   CREED 

I.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Faith  and  the  Creed  in  General 

!iiE  Catechism  is  an  abridged  explanation,  by  questions  and 
answers,  of  the  truths  which  religion  teaches,  and  of  the 
duties  which  it   prescribes. 

Of  all  the  knowledge  which  it  is  important  for  man  to  acquire 
upon  earth,  there  is  none  more  necessary  than  a  knowledge  of  the 
Catechism,  because  this  alone  can  lead  us  to  salvation.  Hence  arises 
the  obligation  for  all  the  faithful  to  learn  it  and  to  try  to  understand 
its  meaning,  to  attend  diligently  the  instructions  which  may  be  given 
on  its  subject-matter,  and  to  listen  to  them  with  attention  and  respect. 

The  Catechism  is  divided  into  four  parts:  — 

1st.  Faith  and  the  Creed;  2d.  Hope  and  Prayer;  3d.  Charity 
and  the  Commandments ;  4th.  Grace  and  the  Sacraments.  In  the  first 
instruction    we  shall  speak  of  Faith  and  the  Creed  in  general. 

Who  has  created  us  and«  placed  us  in  this  world  ?  Such  is  the  first 
question  which  we  find  in  the  Catechism,  and  one  which  a  Christian 
should  often  put  to  himself.  Indeed,  it  is  most  important  to  know 
what  we  are,  whence  we  come,  why  we  exist,  and  what  shall  become 
of  us. 

Our  reason  unaided  cannot  answer  any  of  these  capital  questions. 
This  is  clearly  proved  by  the  monstrous  errors  of  paganism,  and  even 
of  the  ancient  philosophers,  who  never  had  any  exact  idea  of  the 
dignity  of  man,  or  of  our  future  state.  Christian  faith,  or  revelation, 
alone  can  enlighten  us  on  all  these  subjects. 

Guided  by  the  supernatural  light  of  faith,  we  shall  instruct  you 
later  on  with  regard  to  the  existence  of  God  and  His  adorable  per- 
fections, as  also  with  regard  to  our  nature,  our  origin,  and  our  destiny. 

(5) 


6  FIRST   PART.      I.   INSTRUCTION 

We  shall  tell  you  how  man,  drawn  out  of  nothing  by  the  Creator, 
was  placed  upon  earth  only  to  know  his  author,  to  love  and  serve 
Him  here  according  to  his  strength,  and,  finally,  to  merit  by  virtue 
and  good  works  to  possess  and  glorify  Him  forever  in  Heaven. 

But  before  entering  into  such  important  explanations,  which  em- 
brace almost  the  entire  Christian  doctrine,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to 
be  well  instructed  on  the  source  of  all  these  truths,  and  to  see  how 
faith  is  a  beacon-light  destined  to  guide  us  in  the  midst  of  the  dense 
darkness  with  which  our  intelligence  is  surrounded,  as  formerly  the 
fiery  column  preceded  the  people  of  God  in  their  march  from  Egypt, 
and  directed  their  steps  through  the  desert. 

The  nature  of  faith,  its  excellence,  its  necessity,  its  qualities,  and 
where  the  truths  of  faith  are  to  be  found  —  these,  my  brethren,  are 
the  several  points  which   we  are  to  examine  to-day. 

I.  What  is  faith.?  Faith  is  a  gift  of  God,  by  which  we  be- 
lieve, with  a  perfect  submission,  all  that  God  has  revealed  to  His 
Church. 

We  say,  first,  that  faith  is  a  gift^  because  it  is  something  gratui- 
tous, which  we  could  not  merit  by  any  good  work;  and  I  add  that 
it  is  2l  gift  of  God,  because  it  can  come  only  from  God.  It  is  a  grace, 
and  the  first  of  all  graces,  according  to  the  language  of  the  apostle 
St.  Paul,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  :  J^or  by  grace  you  are  saved 
through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves,  for  it  is  the  gift  of  God 
(Ephes.  II.  8)  ;  or  again,  according  to  the  words  of  the  apostle  St. 
James :  Every  best  gift,  and  every  perfect  gift,  is  from  above 
(James  i.  17),  When,  therefore,  we  are  so  happy  as  to  possess  the 
gift  of  faith,  it  is  to  God  that  we  should  be  thankful :  Thanks  be  to 
God  for  His  unspeakable  gift  (2  Cor.  ix.  15).  And  if,  unfort- 
unately, we  do  not  possess  it,  we  have  to  ask  Him  for  it,  according 
to  the  example  of  St.  Peter,  when  he  said  :  /  do  believe,  Lord;  help 
my  unbelief  (Mark  ix.  23),  and  that  of  all  the  Apostles  together, 
when  they  cried  out:  Lord,  increase  our  faith  (Luke  xvii.  5). 
Finally,  we  say  that  faith  is  a  gift  of  God  by  which  we  believe  with 
a  perfect  submission,  to  show  you  that  faith  is  not  a  human  science, 
a  conviction  based  upon  simple  reason,  but  an  humble  and  perfect 
submission,  a  full  and  entire  adherence  to  the  truths  of  revelation, 
even  to  those  which  seem  to  us  the  most  incomprehensible,  because 
these  truths  having  been  taught  us  by  God  Himself  and  by  His 
Church,  we  need  have  no  fear  of  being  deceived. 


ON  FAITH  y 

II.  Is  faith  necessary  for  salvation?  Yes,  undoubtedly,  for  how 
could  God  reward  in  heaven  those  who  refused  to  believe  in  Him 
in  this  life?  Faith  is  the  first  of  the  three  theological  virtues,  that 
is,  of  th^  three  virtues  that  have  God  for  their  immediate  object, 
viz.  :  Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity.  It  is  from  faith  that  the  other  vir- 
tues have  their  source  and  without  faith  no  other  virtue  is  possible. 
In  fact,  how  could  we  love  God  and  hope  in  Him,  if  we  did  not 
believe  in  His  existence  and  in  the  truths  which"  He  has  deigned  to 
reveal  to  us?  Therefore,  much  as  hope  and  charity  are  indispensa- 
ble to  the  gaining  of  heaven,  much  more  is  it  necessary  to  have  faith, 
which  is  the  foundation  and  the  root  of  all  justification^  according 
to  the  Council  of  Trent.  Hence  the  words  of  St.  Paul  that  -without 
faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God  (Heb.  ix.  6),  and  that  oracle 
of  our  Lord  :  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved;  but 
he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  condemned  (Mark  xvi.  i6). 

Faith,  my  brethren,  is  not  only  the  principle  of  hope  and  charity, 
but  is  also  the  source  of  all  the  other  Christian  virtues,  such  as 
humility,  patience,  and  chastity,  which  without  faith  would  be 
unknown  upon  earth.  It  is  faith  which  germinates  them  in  the 
souls  of  the  faithful,  and  which  nourishes,  develops,  and  preserves 
them.  The  more  lively  faith  is,  the  more  ardent  are  the  other  vir- 
tues, and  the  more  zeal  and  generosity  we  show  in  offering  to  God 
all  the  sacrifices  He  requires  of  us.  With  faith,  we  triumph  over 
the  most  violent  passions  and  the  most  terrible  temptations ;  we  keep 
away  from  the  most  alluring  occasions  of  sin,  and  surmount  the  great- 
est obstacles.  Without  faith,  we  flinch  before  the  least  privation 
and  the  least  inconvenience  ;  we  fulfill  no  duty  with  a  courageous 
and  constant  fidelity ;  we  live  in  sinful  indifference. 

III.  But  what  are  the  qualities  of  faith?  They  are  five  in  num- 
ber.    It  should  be  enlightened,  active,  firm,  simple,  and  universal. 

ist.  Faith  must  be  Enlightened. — Our  faith  is  enlightened 
when  we  are  instructed  in  the  truths  it  teaches  and  in  the  duties  it 
prescribes.  In  fact,  we  cannot  believe,  at  least  in  an  explicit  man- 
ner, truths  of  which  we  are  ignorant,  nor  can  we  practice  duties 
of  which  we  know  nothing.  Thus  everyone  is  obliged,  under  pain 
of  damnation,  to  know,  at  least  in  substance,  the  three  mysteries  of 
the  Most  Holy  Trinity,  the  Incarnation,  and  the  Redemption.  Every 
one  must  know  and  believe  that  the  soul  is  immortal,  and  that  after 
this    life    there    is    another,  happy   or    unhappy,  according   as   one's 


8  FIRST  PART.      I.   INSTRUCTION 

life  here  has  been  good  or  bad.  Everyone  should  be  instructed  in 
the  Apostles'  Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  Hail  Mary,  the  Com- 
mandinents  of  God  and  of  the  Church,  and  in  the  Sacraments,  and 
if  any  one  through  his  own  fault  is  ignorant  of  those  subjects  he  is 
guilty  of  mortal  sin. 

It  is  not  sufficient  to  know  the  letter  of  the  words  contained  in 
the  Catechism.  One  must  know  also  their  meaning.  He  who  would 
not  make  any  effort  to  understand  them,  would  sin  more  or  less 
grievously,  according  as  the  ignorance  is  more  or  less  great,  and 
according  as  the  points  of  dogma  and  morals  of  which  he  is  ignorant 
are  more  or  less  important.  Therefore,  how  great  is  the  guilt  of  those 
persons  who  do  not  assist  at  the  instructions  of  the  parish,  or  who 
pay  no  attention  to  them !  What  a  serious  responsibility  for  parents 
who  neglect  to  have  their  children  instructed ! 

2d.  Faith  must  be  Active. —  That  is,  we  must  practice  the 
duties  which  faith  prescribes  to  us ;  without  this,  we  would  be  Chris- 
tians in  name  only,  and  pagans  or  atheists  in  conduct.  This  is  what 
the  apostle  St.  James  teaches  us  when  he  says  that  faith  without  good 
works  amounts  to  nothing.  Thus,  for  example,  when  you  believe  in 
God,  you  must  respect  His  presence,  and  not  blaspheme  His  holy  and 
adorable  name.  When  you  believe  in  a  happy  or  unhappy  eternity, 
you  must  labor  to  avoid  the  one  and  merit  the  other.  If  you  were  to 
remain  in  indifference,  what  good  would  your  belief  do  you?  Faith, 
if  it  have  not  works,  is  dead  in  itself  (JsLvnes  ii.  17).  When  you 
believe  in  the  Holy  Catholic,  Apostolic,  and  Roman  Church,  you  must 
submit  to  its  authority  and  observe  its  precepts.  Faith  is  an  excellent 
gift,  but  it  would  serve  only  for  your  destruction  and  damnation  if 
you  did  not  fulfill  its  obligations  :  To  him  nvho  knoiveth  to  do  good  and 
doth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin  (James  iv.  17).  A  fearful  truth,  my 
brethren,  and  well  worthy  of  our  most  serious  meditation. 

3d.  Faith  must  be  Firm  and  immovable  as  the  motives  upon 
which  it  is  founded.  Upon  what  motives  is  our  faith  based.''  On 
the  word  of  God  and  of  His  Church.  Now,  my  brethren,  is  God  not 
the  truth,  the  very  essence  of  truth;  and  is  not  the  Church,  His  holy 
spouse,  infallible  in  all  her  teachings.'*  Our  faith,  therefore,  cannot 
be  subject  to  any  error,  and  we  should  believe  all  that  faith  teaches 
us  with  a  firmness  that  excludes  all  suspicion  of  hesitation  or  doubt. 
We  should  believe  all  its  truths  as  if  we  saw  them  with  our  own  eyes, 
and  even  more  firmly,  for  the  senses  might  deceive  us  sometimes,  but 


ON   FAITH  p 

our  faith  founded  on  the  word  of  God  can  never  deceive  us.  Our 
faith  should  have  the  firmness  of  the  immovable  rock  upon  which 
the  storms  and  tempests  beat  in  vain,  and  it  should  resist  all  the 
attacks  and  temptations  of  the  devil,  as  well  as  all  the  sophisms  of 
infidelity. 

4th.  Our  Faith  must  be  Simple. —  There  must  be  none  of  those 
vain  inquiries,  or  of  those  curious  examinations  which  serve  only  to 
diminish  faith,  instead  of  strengthening  it.  God  has  spoken,  the 
Church  has  defined,  and  that  should  be  sufficient  for  us.  It  matters 
not  that  in  our  faith  there  are  mysteries  above  our  intelligence. 
When  we  cannot  well  understand  natural  things  which  we  have  daily 
before  our  eyes,  how  can  we  expect  to  understand  the  most  profound 
truths  in  the  treasury  of  the  divine  science  and  wisdom  ?.  It  is  written 
that  He  who  is  a  searcher  of  Go<r s  majesty^  shall  be  overwhelmed  by 
glory  (Prov.  xxv.  27).  Undoubtedly,  it  \vounds  pride  and  self- 
love  not  to  be  able  to  understand  all ;  but,  my  brethren,  this  is  a  sacri- 
fice which  God  has  a  right  to  require  from  us,  and  for  which  we  will 
be  well  rewarded  by  that  tranquillity  of  soul  and  by  those  sweet  con- 
solations which  simple  faith  procures  for  us.  Are  there  any  greater 
rewards  upon  earth?  The  just  tnan  lives  by  faith,  says  the  apostle 
St.  Paul  (Rom.  i.  17).  Where  are  the  evils  that  faith  cannot 
sweeten?  *'0  heavenly  faith,'*  cries  out  Chateaubriand,  "thou  doest 
more  than  the  moving  of  mountains;  thou  removest  the  pressing  bur- 
dens that  weigh  upon  the  heart.** 

5th,  Our  Faith  must  be  Universal. —  It  must  extend  to  all  the 
truths  which  the  Church  teaches,  without  excepting  a  single  one. 
The  truths  of  faith  are  like  the  links  of  a  chain,  which  are  so  connected 
with  one  another  that  one  link  cannot  be  removed  without  breaking 
the  whole  chain.  Moreover,  all  the  truths  of  faith  having  God  for 
their  author,  and  being  consequently  based  on  the  same  authority, 
what  motive  could  we  have  to  believe  one  rather  than  another?  And 
would  not  that  be  making  of  God  a  God  of  truth  and  a  God  of  false- 
hood, at  one  and  the  same  time  ? 

IV.  Where  do  we  find  the  truths  we  should  believe?  We  find 
them  in  Holy  Scripture  and  in  Tradition  accepted  and  consecrated  by 
the  Church. 

By  Scripture  we  understand  the  writings  made  under  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  left  to  God's  Church  for  our  instruction. 
The  book  which  contains  these  writings  is  called  the  Bible,  a  word 


lO  FIRST  PART.      I.    INSTRUCTION 

which  signifies  a  book  par  excellence.  The  Bible  is  divided  into  two 
parts :  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament.  The  first  contains  the 
books  written  before  Christ,  that  is,  the  books  of  Moses,  the  Prophets, 
etc. ;  and  the  second,  those  which  were  written  after  Christ,  such  as 
the  Gospels,  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  the  Epistles. 

But  all  the  truths  of  faith  are  not  contained  in  the  Bible.  There 
are  some  that  were  handed  down  to  us  unwritten  from  the  Apostles, 
who  received  them  from  Jesus  Christ.  This  we  call  Tradition.  It 
is  found  to-day  in  the  works  of  the  Fathers  and  in  the  decrees  of  the 
Councils.  But  as  there  are  few  of  the  faithful  who  would  be  able  to 
remember,  or  to  examine,  all  the  truths  scattered  in  so  many  works, 
the  Church  has  collected  them  all  in  one  single  body  of  doctrine,  and 
has  made  a  very  concise  abridgment  of  them  in  the  Creed,  and  it  is 
this  Creed  which  she  puts  in  our  hands,  and  which  she  proposes  to 
our  belief. 

There  are  four  Creeds  or  Symbols  :  the  Apostles'  Creed,  which 
^ve  recite  every  day  in  our  prayers ;  the  Nicene  Creed,  which  is  sung 
at  Mass,  and  which  is  only  a  development  of  the  first ;  the  Creed  of 
the  Council  of  Constantinople,  which  merely  added  some  words  to 
that  of  Nice  ;  and  finally  the  Creed  of  St.  Athanasius,  which  expresses 
in  detail  the  doctrine  of  the  mysteries  of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity  and  of 
the  Incarnation  of  the  Word.  But  in  essence  these  four  Creeds,  or 
Symbols,  form  only  one ;  because  they  all  contain  one  and  the  same 
doctrine. 

The  Apostles'  Creed,  which  is  the  first  and  the  origin  of  all  the 
others,  was  drawn  up  by  the  Apostles  themselves,  before  their  sep- 
aration, and  is  composed  of  twelve  articles  or  dogmas.  /  believe  in 
God  the  Father  Alfnighty.,  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth  —  the  first 
article;  and  in  jfesus  Christ  His  only  Son  —  the  second  article,  and 
so  forth. 

These  tw^elve  articles  are  divided  into  four  parts  :  The  first  part 
teaches  what  we  must  believe  of  the  person  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
work  of  creation  ;  the  second  part,  of  the  person  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  work  of  the  Incarnation;  the  third,  of  the  person  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  of  the  work  of  sanctification  ;  the  fourth,  of  the  Church, 
and  of  the  work  of  glorification.  We  shall  explain  this  Creed  —  article 
after  article  —  in  the  following  instructions. 

V.  After  having  shown  you  the  qualities  which  faith  inust  have, 
I  will  add  that   it  is  not  enough  to   possess  the  faith  buried  in  our 


ON  FAITH  11 

heart,  but  that  it  is  necessary  often  to  make  acts  of  faith.  Faith  is  the 
nourishment  of  the  soul,  and  our  soul  has  need  of  this  spiritual  food, 
as  our  body  has  need  of  material  food.  There  are  circumstances  in 
which  we  are  even  bound  under  pain  of  sin  to  make  acts  of  faith. 
Thus,  one  is  bound  to  this:  ist.  When  we  have  attained  the  age  of 
reason  ;  2d.  When  we  are  tried  by  temptations  against  faith  ;  3d  When 
we  approach  the  Sacraments ;  4th.  When  we  are  in  danger  of  death. 
But  a  true  Christian  does  not  content  himself  with  making  acts  of 
faith  in  these  circumstances  only;  he  renews  them  often  in  his  life. 
He  makes  them  daily,  and  even  several  times  a  day ;  for  the  more 
frequent  these  acts,  the  more  lively  our  faith  becomes,  and  the  more 
regular  and  fervent  is  our  conduct. 

We  must  make  acts  of  faith  in  and  from  the  heart,  but  we  must 
also  make  them  exteriorly  by  word  of  mouth.  The  exterior  profes- 
sion of  faith  is  sometimes  a  duty.  It  is  a  duty,  says  St.  Thomas, 
every  time  the  glory  of  God,  or  the  salvation  of  our  neighbor,  de- 
mands it.  For  example,  if  a  judge  ask  you  about  your  religion,  you 
cannot,  without  apostasy,  deny  that  you  are  a  Christian.  If  you  find 
yourselves  among  persons  who  mock  at  religion  and  at  its  ministers, 
who  ridicule  confession,  prayer,  and  the  most  sacred  things,  you  are 
obliged  to  answer  them — at  least  when  it  is  not  evident  that  your 
correction  will  produce  no  good  effect.  Be  careful  in  these  circum- 
stances, my  brethren,  not  to  allow  yourselves  to  be  overcome  by 
human  respect.  You  know  that  our  Divine  Master  says  that  if  ive 
are  ashamed  of  Him  before  men,  He  xvill  be  ashamed  of  us  before  His 
leather.  On  such  occasions  you  must  show  that  you  are  Christians, 
and  that  you  glory  in  being  such.  And,  after  all,  what  does  it  matter 
if  you  displease  men,  provided  you  please  God?  Will  men  judge  you 
at  death,  or  will  it  be  God? 

Now,  is  this  faith,  such  as  I  have  explained  to  you,  solidly  estab- 
lished in  your  mind  and  heart?  Did  you  never  entertain  doubts  about 
some  of  the  truths  which  it  teaches?  Did  you  never  carry  on  or 
listen  to  impious  and  blasphemous  discourses  against  faith?  Did 
you  never  omit  your  duties  on  account  of  some  miserable  human 
respect  ? 

Ah!  my  brethren,  how  often,  undoubtedly,  have  we  not  sinned 
against  this  great  and  fundamental  virtue !  Now,  then,  if  we  ac- 
knowledge ourselves  guilty,  let  us  very  humbly  beg  pardon  of  God, 
and  let  us  resolve  to  be  more  careful  and  more  prompt  in  repelling  the 


12  FIRST  PART.      II.    INSTRUCTION 

temptations  which  may  assail  us  against  faith  ;  more  firm  in  defending 
it  against  those  who  may  attack  it  in  our  presence ;  more  generous  in 
conforming  our  conduct  to  our  belief ;  and  it  is  thus  that  we  shall 
merit  eternal  happiness.     Amen. 


11.     INSTRUCTION 
First  Article  of  the  Creed:    On  God 

I  Believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Creator  of  Heaven  and  Earth 

I.  The  existence  of  God,  my  brethren,  is  the  first  truth  which  the 
Creed  teaches:  /  believe  in  a  God.  It  is,,  therefore,  an  article  of 
faith,  and  even  a  fundamental  article,  that  there  is  a  God,  because  the 
whole  fabric  of  Christian  doctrine  rests  upon  this  basis.  Besides  it  is 
not  only  faith  that  teaches  us  this  great  truth,  but  reason  itself.  The 
necessity  of  a  first  being  who  is  the  creator  of  all  things  and  of  the 
beautiful  order  that  reigns  in  the  universe  is  apparent,  and  the  belief 
of  all  the  nations  cannot  leave  any  doubt  in  this  regard. 

1st.  The  necessity  of  a  first  being.  This  world  has  not  aUvays 
existed,  for  it  is  contrary  to  reason  that  any  matter  should  be  eternal, 
and  in  considering  all  the  animated  beings  which  fill  the  universe,  we 
must  always  go  back  to  a  first  being,  the  principle  of  all  others  which 
descend  from  it,  and  which  is  as  the  first  link  of  a  long  chain.  There 
has  been,  therefore,  a  time  when  the  beautiful  firmament,  the  im- 
mense seas,  the  earth  which  we  tread,  the  men  and  the  animals  that 
live  on  it,  the  plants  that  cover  and  embellish  it,  did  not  yet  exist. 
Now,  who  could  draw  forth  from  nothing  all  these  things  —  so  many 
beings  whose  beauty  enraptures  us,  whose  infinite  variety  confounds 
our  imagination,   who  but  a  God  of  infinite  power? 

2d.  Moreover,  let  us  admire  the  beautiful  order  which  reigns  in 
the  universe,  and  see  how  everything  is  regulated,  even  to  the  small- 
est details.  Behold  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  millions  of  stars,  pur- 
suing their  course  in  space,  without  ever  deviating  from  the  route 
that   has   been   traced    out    for   them.     Ravished  by  admiration,  the 


ON   GOD 


13 


prophet  cries  out :      The  heavens  shov)  forth  the  glory  of  God  !     (Ps. 
XVIII.  I.)      Consider  the  unchangeable  order  of  the  seasons  and  the 
uninterrupted  succession  of  days  and  nights,  marking  out  for  man  the 
times  for  labor  and  for  rest.     The  earth  is  placed  at  a  proper  distance 
from  the  sun  in  order  to  be  lighted  and  heated  by  its  fires  without 
being  consumed.     Consider  the  numberless  multitudes  of  plants  and 
trees  and  animals  which   form   the  ornament  and   life  of  the  earth 
What  grandeur,  and  what  marvel!     The  plants,  as  if  under  the  in-^ 
fluence  of  a  mystic  force,  grow  and  develop ;  they  renew  and  perpetu-  I 
ate  themselves,  each  according  to  its  own  species ;  they  draw  from  the  j 
earth  the  sap  that  nourishes  them,  and  which  circulates  through  them 
by  thousands  of  different  channels,  and  soon  we  see  the  leaves,  blos- 
soms,  and  fruits. 

The  animals  charm  and  astonish  us  by  their  wonderful  structure,  , 
by  the  diversity  of  their  forms  and  colors,  by  the  services  which  they 
render  to  man  for  his  wants  or  for  his  pleasures.  The  smallest,  those 
that  escape  our  notice,  have  the  organs  necessary  to  life  just  as  we 
have,  and  all  are  endowed  with  a  wonderful  instinct  of  self-preserva- 
tion. Who  has  taught  them  the  nourishment  their  nature  requires,  to 
prepare  for  their  young  ones  a  sure  and  agreeable  shelter,  to  dwell  in 
a  suitable  climate  or  to  pass  into  a  region  either  warmer  or  colder, 
according  to  the  seasons  of  the  year.? 

Oh!  how  much  could  I  not  tell  you  especially  of  man,  the  king  \ 
and  master- work  of  creation!  What  beauty,  what  symmetry,  what 
perfection  in  the  economy  of  the  human  body !  ^*  I  will  give  you  a 
hundred  years,"  said  Galen  to  the  followers  of  Epicurus,  **  to  try  to 
find  the  least  defect  in  the  human  body."  And  in  the  soul  of  man,  " 
how  can  we  help  admiring  that  memory  which  so  faithfully  retains 
the  impressions  of  the  past ;  that  intelligence  which  comprehends 
truth,  discovers  error,  and  explains  the  universe ;  that  imagination,  so 
lively  and  fruitful,  which  creates  so  many  prodigies ! 

Can  any  one,  after  this,  refuse  to  acknowledge  the  hand  of  God  \ 
in  this  wonderful  world  which  unfolds  itself  before  our  eyes,?     **Oh, 
no,"  said  Voltaire,  ^^  I  shall  always  be  persuaded  that  a  clock  bespeaks  ^ 
a  clock-maker,  and  that  the  universe  bespeaks  a  God." 

3d.  Moreover,  my  brethren,  we  find  that  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  both  ancient  and  modern,  have  always  acknowledged  the  exist- 
ence of  God,  because  everywhere  and  at  all  times  have  been  found 
temples,  altars,  and  sacrifices.     Undoubtedly,  they  yrere  deceived  as  to 


14 


FIRST   PART.      II.    INSTRUCTION 


the  nature  and  attributes  of  God;  but  it  is  none  the  less  true  that 
always  and  everywhere  men  have  adored  a  deity.  Now,  is  not  a  be- 
lief so  unanimous,  and  a  faith  so  constant  and  universal,  an  unanswer- 
able proof  of  this  fundamental  truth?  And  must  we  not  consider  a 
person  bereft  of  all  reason  who  would  refuse  to  believe  in  the  exis- 
tence of  God  ?  I  will  not  dwell  any  longer  on  this  point  for  fear  of 
offending  your  good  sense.  If  I  have  insisted  on  these  truths  and 
arguments,  it  was  only  with  a  view  to  enlighten  your  faith. 

II.  But  what  is  God?  What  is  His  nature?  What  are  His  per- 
fections? These  are  questions  that  will  be  difficult  to  answer  and  to 
make  sufficiently  clear.  Let  me  put  the  answer  thus: — God  is  an 
eternal  spirit,  all-powerful,  unchangeable,  immense,  who  beholds  all, 
who  hears  all,  who  provides  for  all ;  in  a  word,  a  spirit  infinite  in  all 
sorts  of  perfections. 

1st.  God  is  called  a  spirit^  that  is,  an  intelligence,  which  cannot 
be  seen  by  our  eyes,  or  be  touched  by  our  hands,  or  be  perceived  by  any 
of  our  senses,  just  as  our  souls  and  the  angels.  It  is  true  that  God  is 
sometimes  represented  under  sensible  forms ;  God  the  Father,  under 
the  figure  of  an  aged  man;  God  the  Son,  under  the  form  of  a  man 
dead  on  the  cross ;  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  under  the  form  of  a  dove,  but 
this  is  done  only  the  better  to  fix  our  imagination.  The  Father  is 
represented  under  the  figure  of  an  old  man,  to  show  us  that  he  is 
eternal;  the  Son,  as  dying  upon  a  cross,  to  recall  to  our  minds  the 
mystery  of  Redemption  ;  the  Holy  Ghost,  under  the  figure  of  a  dove, 
because  it  was  under  that  form  that  He  appeared  formerly  upon  earth. 
And  when  sometimes  the  Scriptures  speak  of  the  eyes  of  God,  of  His 
ears.  His  arms,  and  His  hands,  it  is  only  to  make  us  understand  that 
God  sees  all  things,  hears  all  things,  that  His  power  is  infinite,  and 
that  His  wrath  is  terrible. 

2d.  God  is  eternal.  He  never  had  any  beginning,  and  will  never 
have  an  end.  When  thinking  of  the  eternity  of  God,  you  imagine 
perhaps  that  He  has  existed  for  thousands  and  millions  of  years. 
This  is  true,  but  it  is  not  thus  that  we  must  understand  the  eternity 
of  God.  For  Him  there  are  neither  days  nor  years.  Periods  of  time 
afe  only  for  us  who  grow  old  and  pass  away.  God  has  always  been 
and  will  always  be  the  same:  Yesterday^  and  to-day^  and  the  same 
forever  (Heb.  xiii.  8).  Picture  to  yourself  thousands  of  mil- 
lions of  centuries  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  God  existed 
before  all    this   time,  and  infinitely   beyond   that.      Imagine,    again, 


ON   GOD  15 

thousands  of  millions  of  centuries  after  this  world  shall  have  been 
destroyed ;  God  will  still  exist  after  all  these  centuries,  and  forever. 
/  live  forever,  says  the  Lord  (Deut.  xxxii.  40).  If  you  ask  me 
where  God  was  before  the  beginning  of  time,  I  answer  that  He  was 
in  Himself,  occupied  in  contemplating  and  loving  Himself,  enjoying 
His  glory,  and  having  no  need  of  any  of  the  creatures  which  His 
power  and  goodness  have  since  drawn  out  of  nothing. 

3d.  God  is  eternal  and  unchangeable.  Here  below,  everything 
passes,  everything  changes  and  renews  itself.  Man  grows  and 
declines,  he  learns  and  forgets,  he  labors  and  rests.  So  also  in  nature, 
the  earth  has  its  seasons ;  plants  and  animals  their  change.  But  God 
does  not  change,  my  brethren ;  all  in  Him  is  unalterable.  He  is 
unchangeable  in  His  existence,  because  He  knows  neither  childhood 
nor  old  age.  He  is  unchangeable  in  His  knowledge,  for  He  knows 
from  all  eternity  what  has  been,  what  is,  and  what  will  be.  He  is 
unchangeable  in  His  will,  for  what  He  wills  to-day  He  has  always 
willed,  and  He  wills  for  all  times  to  come.  Thus,  when  we  say 
that  God  repents,  or  that  we  can  bend  His  wrath,  or  that  He  pardons, 
we  mean  merely  that  we  change  in  His  regard,  and  that,  by  our 
virtues  or  by  our  crimes,  we  oblige  Him  to  reward  or  to  punish  us. 
It  is  with  God,  under  this  respect,  as  with  the  light  of  the  sun,  which 
is  agreeable  or  disagreeable  to  us,  according  as  we  look  at  it  with 
a  clear  or  with  an  injured  eye.  It  is  not  the  sun  that  changes,  but 
it  is  ourselves  that  change. 

4th.  God  is  almighty  :  /  believe  in  God,  the  Father  Almighty. 
It  is  this  that  the  Creed  teaches  us ;  and  it  mentions  only  one  at- 
tribute of  the  divinity,  because  it  is  the  most  striking  and  the  most 
apparent  for  us,  and  because  it  is  by  His  almighty  power  that  God 
has  created  heaven  and  earth,  of  which  there  is  mention  in  the  same 
article  of  the  Creed. 

God  has  a  sovereign  or  almighty  power,  because  He  depends  upon 
nobody,  because  He  has  no  master  above  Him,  and  because  nothing 
limits  the  infinite  extent  of  His  perfections.  Not  only  did  He  create 
the  world  out  of  nothing,  but  He  could  have  created  an  infinite 
number  of  worlds,  infinitely  more  beautiful  and  more  perfect  than 
the  one  upon  which  we  live,  and  likewise  with  one  word  He  could 
destroy  and  annihilate  them. 

From  this  divine  almighty  power  flows  the  possibility  of  miracles, 
as  well  as  the  happy  or  unhappy  immortality  which  He  has  prepared 


l6  FIRST   PART.      II.   INSTRUCTION 

for  us  in  the  next  life.  God  evidently  can  deviate  from  the  laws 
of  nature  which  He  has  Himself  established ;  and  He  has  been  the 
master  to  appoint  for  the  just  an  unending  happiness,  and  for  the 
wicked  eternal  torments.  However,  because  God  is  almighty,  we 
must  be  careful  not  to  conclude  that  He  can  do  evil.  No,  my  brethren, 
because,  on  the  contrary,  the  faculty  to  sin  necessarily  indicates  a 
defect  of  power ;  the  almighty  power  consisting  in  doing  all  that 
one  wishes  and  as  one  wishes,  but  not  in  doing  what  one  does  not 
wish. 

God  is  everywhere.  He  himself  speaks  of  His  immensity  in  the 
most  magnificent  terms.  I  Jill  heaven  and  earth.  He  tells  us  through 
the  mouth  of  His  prophet  :  Heaven  is  my  throne  and  the  earth  is  my 
footstool  (Is.  Lxvi.  i).  Behold.,  O  Lord.,  cried  out  the  prophet 
David,  if  I  ascend  i?tto  heaven,  thou  art  there;  if  I  descend  into  hell, 
thou  art  present.  If  I  take  my  wings  early  in  the  morning  and  dwell 
in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.,  even  there  also  shall  thy  hand  lead 
me  (Ps.  cxxxviii.).  God  is  in  heaven  by  His  glory  and  love; 
upon  earth,  by  His  providence;  in  hell,  by  His  justice;  and  every- 
where by  His  essence.  He  is  everywhere,  because,  being  infinite,  it 
is  impossible  that  He  should  not  be  everywhere,  and  in  each  place  in 
particular  as  well  as  in  all  in  general.  We  are  surrounded  by  the  im- 
mensity of  God,  says  St.  Augustine,  as  the  fish  is  by  the  water  and 
as  the  bird  by  the  air.  And  it  is  in  Him,  says  the  Apostle,  that  we 
find  life,  movement,  and  being  :  In  Him  we  live,  and  move,  and  arc 
(Acts  XVII.  28).  But  who  can  understand  the  immensity  of  God, 
present  everywhere  and  present  entirely  in  each  place?  Behold,  my 
brethren,  a  mystery  above  our  feeble  reason.  All  that  we  know  is 
that  God  is  present  in  the  manner  of  the  spirits  who  occupy  no  space, 
as  the  soul  in  the  body,  and  who  may  find  themselves  even  in  the 
most  infectious  places  without  being  affected. 

But  a  more  important  consequence  which  results  from  this  great 
truth  is  that  God  being  everywhere,  He  sees  and  hears  all,  as  we  see 
the  things  which  we  have  before  our  eyes,  and  as  we  hear  the  noise 
that  strikes  our  ears;  but  He  sees  and  hears  infinitely  better:  All 
things  are  naked  and  open  to  His  eyes  (Heb.  iv.  13).  He  sees  what 
passes  in  the  most  obscure  darkness  and  in  the  most  retired  places,  as 
if  it  were  done  in  broad  daylight.  He  sounds  and  penetrates  even  the 
most  secret  recesses  of  our  soul.  He  knows  distinctly  our  thoughts, 
desires,  and  intentions.      He   sounds  the   joints  and  marrow  of  the 


ON   GOD 


17 


bones,  says  the  Prophet,  and  searches  the  most  hidden  movements 
of  the  heart:    The  searcher  of  hearts  is   God  (Ps.  vii.  10). 

If  such  is  the  case,  what  a  subject  of  consolation  for  the  just  man 
when  he  remembers  that  God  is  the  witness  of  all  his  thoughts,  and 
that  everywhere,  wherever  he  may  find  himself,  and  in  whatever  state 
he  may  be,  God  is  always  with  him!  But,  on  the  other  hand,  what  a 
subject  of  fear  and  fright  for  the  sinner,  to  know  that  he  can  do  noth- 
ing, not  even  have  a  criminal  thought,  without  God  as  a  witness!  O 
you,  therefore,  who  may  be  tempted  to  offend  the  Lord,  or  you  who 
do  not  avoid  the  occasions  of  sin,  remember  His  holy  presence,  and 
say  to  yourselves :  If  my  father,  or  my  mother,  or  my  confessor  were 
to  see  me,  how  I  would  feel  ashamed!  I  would  tremble  with  fear; 
and  yet  I  am  not  afraid  of  the  presence  of  a  God,  who  sees  me,  who 
hears  me,  who  will  judge  me  some  day,  and  who  might  permit  me  to 
fall  into  hell  at  this  very  moment!  In  whatever  place  you  may  be, 
my  brethren,  remember  the  presence  of  God,  and  this  thought  will 
sustain  you,  encourage  and  convert  you ;  for  there  is  no  more  useful 
and  no  more  salutary  thought  than  this :  Walk  before  me  and  be  per- 
fect (Gen.  XVII.  i). 

6th.  God  governs  all  things  and  provides  for  all  by  His  wisdom. 
In  fact,  it  is  God  who  foresees,  wills,  prepares,  or  permits  all  that 
passes  in  the  world.  Nothing  happens  except  by  His  will.  It  is  He 
who  regulates  the  course  of  the  stars  and  the  seasons,  who  ripens  the 
fruits  and  prepares  the  harvest.  It  is  He  who  sends  us  the  cold  and 
the  heat,  the  sun  and  the  rain,  abundance  or  misery.  It  is  He  who 
makes  grain  grow  and  bring  fruit  a  hundredfold.  It  is  He  who 
•covers  the  prairies  with  plants  and  who  gives  to  all  the  flowers  their 
beautiful  shape  and  color.  It  is  He  who  provides  for  the  animals  the 
food  that  is  necessary  for  them,  and  who  by  His  watchful  care  pre- 
serves all  beings  in  the  life  which  He  gave  them.  But  it  is  especially 
in  regard  to  man  that  God's  providence  is  conspicuous.  He  carries 
us  in  His  arms,  says  Isaias,  like  a  mother  her  children,  and  all  that 
happens  to  us,  agreeable  or  disagreeable,  useful  or  harmful,  is  sent  by 
Him  either  to  reward  or  to  punish  us,  but  always  for  our  advantage. 
It  is  only  sin  that  He  can  neither  command  nor  wish,  but  He  permits 
it  in  order  not  to  deprive  us  of  our  liberty.  Oh,  how  great  and 
•admirable  is  this  divine  providence !  And  with  what  a  sweet  and 
tender  confidence  should  we  not  rest  upon  it,  and  invoke  it  in  all  our 
troubles  and  needs! 


1 8  FIRST  PART.      III.   INSTRUCTION 

To  sum  up  in  a  few  words  all  that  we  have  explained  of  the 
divine  perfections,  we  will  say  :  God  is  a  Being  infinite  in  every 
perfection,  and  the  different  degrees  of  grandeur  and  goodness  which 
we  see  in  His  creatures  are  only  faint  reflections  of  the  infinite  per- 
fections of  God.  God  is  an  ocean  of  goodness  and  perfections,  an 
ocean  without  bottom  and  without  shores.  He  is  an  incomprehensi- 
ble Being  which  the  angels  in  heaven  themselves  cannot  understand. 
What  a  profound  respect,  therefore,  do  we  not  owe  to  His  holy  and 
adorable  majesty !  Ah !  what  miserable  atoms  and  vile  dust  of  the 
earth  are  we  in  the  presence  of  this  great  God !  Formerly  it  was  per- 
mitted only  to  the  high-priest  of  the  Jews  to  pronounce  the  holy 
name  of  Jehovah.  One  of  the  most  illustrious  and  learned  men  of  the 
last  centuries,  Newton,  inclined  his  head  every  time  he  pronounced 
the  holy  name  of  God.  A  great  sinner  who  expiated  the  errors  of  her 
youth  by  long  and  most  austere  penance  in  the  wilds  of  the  desert, 
and  became  a  great  saint,  the  hermit  Thais,  did  not  even  dare  to  pro- 
nounce the  name  of  God.  When  your  lips,  my  brethren,  repeat  this 
holy  name,  may  you  always  do  so  with  sentiments  of  profound  ven- 
eration, thankfulness,  and  love.     Amen. 


ni.     INSTRUCTION 
First  Article  of  the  Creed  (  Confd) 

On  th£  Mystery  of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity 

I.  There  is  a  God.  This  we  have  proved  in  the  preceding  in- 
struction, both  by  faith  and  reason.  But  there  is  only  one  God,  and 
there  can  be  but  one  God,  as  the  first  article  of  the  Creed  teaches  : 
/  believe  in  one  God.  In  fact,  were  there  several  gods  they  would  be 
either  equal  or  inferior  to  one  another.  If  they  were  equal,  none 
would  be  God,  because  the  plentitude  of  the  divine  perfections  would 
be  divided  among  several  similar  beings,  and  consequently  none 
would  be  sovereignly  perfect.  And  were  we  to  suppose  them  inferior 
to  one  another,  evidently  only  the  greatest  and  the  most  powerful 
one  could  be  God.     Then  we  would  fall  into  the  error  of  the  pagans 


ON  THE  MYSTERY   OF  THE  MOST  HOLY   TRINITY  jg 

who  adored  a  number  of  ridiculous  and   infamous  deities,  to   whom 
they  attributed  the  vices  and  passions  of  man. 

II.  But  though  there  is  but  one  God,  there  are  three  persons  in 
God,  and  these  we  call  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  this  truth  is  not  less  certain  than  the  other,  because  faith  teaches 
this  in  the  most  formal  manner.  There  are  three,  says  St.  John,  who 
give  testunony  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  these  three  are  one  (I.  John  v.  7).  Go,  said  our  Saviour  to 
His  apostles,  teach  and  baptize  all  nations  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  (Matt,  xxviii.  19).  What 
can  be  clearer  than  these  words.?  Moreover,  what  do  we  recite  in  the 
Creed  ?  /  believe  in  God  the  Father  —  /  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  His 
only  Son  —  /  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  .  .  .  Are  not  the  cere- 
monies of  the  Church  always  performed,  and  the  Sacrament.s  always 
administered  in  the  name  of  these  three  adorable  persons  ?  In  nomine 
Patris,  et  Filii,  et  Spiritus  Sancti. 

III.  The  mystery  of  one  God  in  three  divine  persons  —  this,  my 
brethren,  is  the  greatest  and  most  adorable  of  all  our  mysteries,  be- 
cause it  is  the  basis,  the  foundation  of  the  Christian  religion.  But  it 
is  a  mystery  which  we  cannot  understand,  and  which  we  should  not 
even  try  to  understand,  because  it  is  infinitely  above  our  comprehen- 
sion. One  day,  St.  Augustine,  walking  on  the  seashore,  was  reflect- 
ing on  this  impenetrable  dogma,  and  asking  himself  how  there  could 
be  only  one  God,  and  nevertheless  three  persons  in  God,  when  he 
noticed  a  little  child  continually  drawing  water  from  the  sea  in  a 
shell,  and  pouring  it  into  a  small  hole  which  it  had  dug  on  the  shore. 
"  What  art  thou  doing,  my  child  ?  *  said  the  great  Doctor. — ^*  I  intend 
to  pour  the  sea  into  this  little  hole.* — "  But  dost  thou  not  see  that  it  is 
impossible?" — "Oh!"  answered  the  child,  *  so  will  it  also  be  im- 
possible for  you  to  conceive  what  you  wish  to  understand."  Perhaps 
this  child  was  an  angel  whom  God  had  sent  to  Augustine  to  rebuke 
his  pride. 

IV.  However,  although  infinitely  above  human  reason,  the  mystery 
of  one  God  in  three  persons  is  not  at  all  contrary  to  reason,  for  we  do 
not  say  that  three  Gods  are  one  God;  but  we  say  that  three  persons  in 
God  make  only  one  God,  and  why?  Because  they  have  only  one  and 
the  same  nature,  and  one  and  the  same  divinity.  We  must  not  repre- 
sent to  ourselves  the  three  divine  persons  as  three  persons  similar  to 
us,  having  body  and  soul,  living  separately  one  from  another,  and 


20  FIRST   PART.      III.    INSTRUCTION 

each  possessing  a  different  nature.  In  God  these  three  persons  are 
perfectly  spiritual,  occupying  neither  position  nor  space,  proceeding 
from  one  common  principle  in  the  most  ineffable  manner,  and  forming 
altogether  only  one  and  the  same  entire  being  which  is  God.  Behold 
how  Bossuet  explains  this  mystery:  ^*  God  thinks  substantially,  per- 
fectly, eternally.  .  .  .  And  in  thinking  He  knows  something 
substantial,  perfect,  eternal  like  Himself.  This  is  His  begetting.  His 
eternal  and  perfect  generation.  .  .  .  It  is  thus  that  He  is  Father 
and  that  He  gives  birth  to  a  Son  and  He  is  loved  by  the  Son.  This 
love  is  substantial  like  the  thought,  perfect  and  eternal  like  this,  and 
it  is  this  mutual  love  of  the  Father  and  the  Son  that  we  call  the  Holy 
Ghost.**  In  other  words,  if  we  may  presume  to  explain  Bossuet,  we 
would  say,  the  Father  begets  the  Son  in  thinking  by  Himself,  by 
contemplating  His  infinite  grandeurs  and  perfections;  the  Son  is 
nothing  else  but  the  thought,  the  substantial  image  of  the  Father ;  and 
for  this  reason  He  is  called  the  Word.  The  Father  and  the  Son  love 
each  other  with  the  most  pure  and  most  perfect  love ;  and  this  love 
of  the  Father  and  the  Son  we  call  the  Holy  Ghost. 

V.  We  thus  see  that  these  three  adorable  persons  are  well  distin- 
guished from  one  another.  Indeed,  the  Father  produces  the  other 
persons,  whilst  neither  of  the  others  produces  Him  ;  He  is  a  principle 
without  a  principle.  The  Father  and  the  Son  produce  the  Holy 
Ghost,  but  the  Holy  Ghost  produces  neither  the  Father  nor  the  Son. 
The  Father  is  neither  begotten  nor  produced  ;  but  the  Son  is  begotten 
by  the  Father,  by  the  way  of  the  understanding.  The  Holy  Ghost 
is  not  begotten,  hvA. produced  through  the  Father  and  the  Soji,  by  the 
way  of  the  will.  The  Father  is  the  first  person,  because  He  is  the 
form  and  origin  of  the  other  persons ;  the  Son  is  the  second,  be- 
cause He  is  begotten  through  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the 
third,  because  He  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son.  This  dis- 
tinction of  the  three  divine  persons  is  found  clearly  expressed  at  the 
baptism  of  our  Saviour,  where  it  was  the  Father  who  spoke,  the  Son 
who  was  baptized,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  who  descended  in  the  form  of 
a  dove. 

VI.  However,  these  three  divine  persons,  although  very  distinct 
from  one  another,  form  only  one  and  the  same  God,  because  they  have 
only  one  and  the  same  nature  and  divinity.  Just  as  the  three  faculties 
of  our  soul :  memory,  understanding,  and  will,  although  differing  from 
one  another,  form,  nevertheless,  only  one  soul,  because  they  have  one 


ON  THE  MYSTERY   OF   THE   MOST   HOLY   TRINITY  2 1 

and  the  same  nature.  The  nature  of  a  thing,  my  brethren,  is  that  by 
which  it  is  what  it  is.  Thus,  the  nature  of  man  is  to  have  a  body  and 
a  soul.  The  nature  of  God  is  to  be  infinitely  perfect.  Now,  the 
perfections  of  the  Father  are  the  perfections  of  the  Son;  as  those  of 
the  Father  and  of  the  Son  are  the  perfections  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Thus  the  Father  is  eternal ;  but  the  Son  is  also  eternal,  because  he  is 
eternally  begotten  through  the  Father ;  and  the  same  can  be  said  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  who  is  eternally  produced  through  the  Father  and  the 
Son.  The  Father  is  almighty,  the  Son  is  almighty,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  almighty ;  and  it  is  the  same  in  regard  to  all  the  other  divine 
perfections. 

These  three  adorable  persons  having  only  one  and  the  same  nature, 
are,  therefore,  perfectly  equal;  and  there  is  among  them  neither  supe- 
riority, nor  preeminence ;  and  although  we  say  that  the  Father  is  the 
first,  the  Son  the  second,  the  Holy  Ghost  the  third,  this  language  does 
not  suppose  any  inequality  of  perfection,  but  simply  indicates  the 
order  of  origin.  In  God  there  is  no  more  perfection  in  being  the  first 
than  in  being  the  last,  because  in  God  everything  is  infinite  and  perfect. 

From  this  unity  of  nature  flows  as  a  necessary  consequence  the  in- 
separability of  the  three  divine  persons  :  where  the  Father  is,  there 
also  is  the  Son,  and  there  is  the  Holy  Ghost ;  whatever  the  Father 
wills,  the  Son  wills,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  wills ;  what  the  Father  does, 
the  Son  does,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  does.  Consequently,  we  must  be- 
lieve that  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost  have  contributed  to  the  crea- 
tion as  much  as  the  Father,  to  whom  it  is  attributed  only  because  it 
is  a  work  of  power ;  that  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost  have  con- 
tributed to  our  redemption  although  it  is  attributed  exclusively  to  the 
Son  as  a  work  of  wisdom  ;  finally,  that  the  Father  and  the  Son  have 
contributed  to  our  sanctification  as  well  as  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  whom  it 
is  attributed  only  because  it  is  an  act  of  love.  So,  also,  we  must  con- 
clude that  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  present  in  the  Blessed 
Eucharist,  as  well  as  the  Son,  although  in  a  different  manner ;  for  the 
Son  is  present  there  as  God  and  as  man,  whilst  the  Father  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  are  present  only  as  God.  Hence  we  have  no  more  obli- 
gation towards  one  than  towards  another  of  these  three  divine  per- 
sons, and  we  must  adore  and  invoke  all  three  equally,  although  we 
can  pay  them  our  homage  separately. 

VII.  Let  us  not  attempt  to  fathom  any  further  this  ineffable 
dogma,  or  penetrate  the  mysterious  grandeurs  of  God ;  let  us  not  seek 


2  2  FIRST   PART.      III.    INSTRUCTION 

to  sound  the  abyss  of  the  infinite.  God  has  spoken  and  the  Church 
has  defined;  that  must  be  sufficient.  Therefore,  let  us  content  our- 
selves with  believing  and  adoring.  Let  us  adore  God  the  Father  as 
our  Creator  and  Preserver ;  let  us  adore  God  the  Son  as  our  Re- 
deemer; let  us  adore  the  Holy  Ghost  as  our  sanctifier.  The  angels 
and  saints  in  heaven  have  no  other  occupation  but  to  celebrate  the 
praises  of  the  holy  and  adorable  Trinity,  by  that  sublime  canticle 
which  they  repeat  continually  :  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  God  of  hosts. 
Let  us  do  the  same  upon  earth ;  let  us  be  filled  with  the  same  senti- 
ments of  respect  and  love  which  animate  the  blessed  spirits  in  heaven. 
But  let  us  not  be  content  with  adoring  the  three  divine  persons ;  let 
us  also  invoke  them,  and  invoke  them  often.  In  this  consoling  mys- 
tery everything  inspires  us  with  love  and  confidence.  It  is  in  the 
name  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  that  we  were  baptized,  that  we  were  con- 
firmed, and  that  we  are  absolved  in  the  sacrament  of  penance  ;  and  it 
is  the  Trinity  which  is  for  us  the  only  source  of  all  grace  and  salva- 
tion. Let  us  remember  the  Holy  Trinity,  especially  in  our  troubles 
and  in  our  dangers,  and  at  the  beginning  of  our  principal  actions. 
The  most  useful  practices  are  the  sign  of  the  cross,  a  short  prayer  that 
we  cannot  offer  with  too  great  attention  and  respect,  and  the  Glory 
be  to  the  Father,  which  is  an  homage  rendered  to  the  adorable  Trinity, 
—  a  simple  and  lively  prayer,  welling  up  from  the  depths  of  our  heart. 
St.  Simeon,  the  Stylite  —  that  prodigy  of  penance,  who  fasted 
during  the  entire  season  of  lent,  without  taking  any  kind  of  nourish- 
ment, and  who,  inspired  and  upheld  by  divine  grace,  spent  forty 
years  upon  a  column  without  sitting  or  lying  down,  and  whom  not 
only  the  common  people  but  even  kings  came  to  see  through  devotion 
or  curiosity  —  recited  hardly  any  other  prayer  but  the  Gloria  Patri, 
^^  Glory  be  to  the  Father.*^  The  Church,  as  we  know,  grants  numer- 
ous indulgences  to  those  persons  who,  associated  together,  recite  seven 
Glory  be  to  the  Fathers  three  times  a  day.  These  are  powerful 
motives  often  to  adore  and  to  invoke  the  Most  Holy  and  adorable 
Trinity.  Therefore,  as  it  shall  be  always  the  basis  of  our  faith  and  of 
our  worship,  let  it  also  be  always  the  object  of  our  respect,  and  of  our 
love  and  gratitude.     Amen. 


ON  THE  CREATION  2$ 


IV.     INSTRUCTION 

First  Article  of  the  Creed  ( Confd) 

On  the  Creation 

I.  After  having  instructed  you  on  the  existence  of  God,  and  of 
one  God  in  three  divine  Persons,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  there  remains  for  us  to  speak  of  His  works,  that  is,  of  the 
creation  of  the  world,  of  the  angels,  and  of  man  in  particular. 

This  world  did  not  always  exist.  The  history  of  the  nations 
which  goes  back  only  a  fcAv  thousand  years,  the  newness  of  the  arts 
most  necessary  for  life,  which  are  still  being  improved  every  day, 
and  the  recent  discoveries  of  immense  countries,  as  that  of  America, 
all  go  to  show  not  only  that  there  has  been  a  time  when  this  world 
did  not  exist,  as  we  behold  it  to-diay,  but  also  that  its  origin  is  not 
of  such  a  very  remote  date.  There  was  a  time  when  there  were 
neither  sun  nor  moon  nor  stars ;  a  time  when  there  were  neither 
plants  nor  animals,  neither  day  nor  night,  neither  light  nor  dark- 
ness, neither  sea  nor  earth  nor  heavens, —  a  time,  finally,  when 
God  alone  existed,  having  produced  nothing  outside  Himself,  and 
finding  His  happiness  in  contemplating  His  own  glory  and  adorable 
perfections  in  the  silence  of  eternity. 

II.  But  who  could  create  the  world?  That  is,  who  could  draw 
out  from  nothing  the  heavens  and  the  earth  and  those  immense 
globes,  whose  number  and  grandeur  the  most  lively  imagination  is 
insufficient  to  represent  to  itself? 

Certainly,  the  world  did  not  create  itself.  Neither  is  the  world 
the  work  of  chance ;  for  chance  is  an  idle  word,  which  has  neither 
being  nor  life,  which  expresses  only  an  ignorance  of  the  causes  of 
events,  and  which  is  consequently  incapable  of  producing  any 
effect. 

Therefore,  my  brethren,  it  is  God  and  God  alone  who,  by  His 
almighty  power,  could  create  the  world.  This  is  what  we  profess 
to  believe  in  reciting  the  first  article  of  the  Creed :  /  believe  in 
God  the  Father  Almighty^  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth.  To  create, 
as  we  have  said,  means  to  draw  out  of  nothing.  But  who  else  but 
God  could  make  anything  whatever  without  preexisting  matter? 
Masons   build    houses,   but    they  have    stones   and   cement ;    painters 


24 


FIRST   PART.      IV.    INSTRUCTION 


make  pictures,  but  they  need  paper  or  cloth  and  colors.  Their  whole 
art  consists  merely  in  changing  and  improving  forms  and  figures. 
When  there  is  question  of  giving  to  a  thing  the  existence  which  it 
has  not,  it  is  only  the  Almighty  who  is  capable  of  doing  that.  All 
the  men  and  all  the  kings  of  the  world  together  could  not  create  one 
single  grain  of  sand. 

III.  God  created  the  world  by  one  single  word  :  He  spoke  and  they 
were  made  (Ps.  xxxii.  9).  There  were  no  laborers,  no  tools,  no 
implements,  because  there  were  none  yet  in  existence.  His  all-power- 
ful word  supplied  all  this ;  and  His  word  is  nothing  else  than  His 
will.  It  is  Moses  who  relates  the  wonderful  history  of  the  creation 
of  the  world  —  the  most  authentic  history  of  all,  and  to  which  all 
human  sciences  are  obliged  to  render  homage.  This  is  how  this  great 
historian,  who  wrote  only  under  the  dictation  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
relates  this  astonishing  wonder  :  — 

God  created  the  world  in  six  days,  or  spaces  of  time.  Undoubt- 
edly, He  had  no  need  of  all  this  time  to  consider  and  to  complete  His. 
work,  for  in  an  instant,  and  by  a  single  act  of  His  will.  He  could 
have  created  and  perfected  not  only  this  world  such  as  we  see  it,  but 
He  could  have  created  and  perfected  thousands  of  others.  Why  did 
He  will  to  employ  *^  six  days  *  at  the  work  of  creation  ?  For  many 
reasons,  undoubtedly,  which  we  do  not  know ;  but  perhaps,  also,  to 
show  us  that  He  acted  with  a  sovereign  independence;  that  He  did 
only  what  He  pleased  and  how  He  pleased,  and,  also,  to  give  us  the 
exatnple  of  labor  during  the  six  days  of  the  week,  with  the  obligation 
of  rest  for  the  seventh  day. 

In  the  beginnings  says  the  sacred  writer,  God  created  heaven  and 
earth.  But  the  earth  was  at  first  only  a  confused  mass  of  beings,  or 
rather  of  seeds  of  beings,  mingled  together,  without  distinction,  with- 
out order,  and  without  the  qualities  which  should  soon  embellish 
them.  Then  God  said:  Let  there  be  light.  And  light  was  made  and 
He  divided  the  light  from  the  darkness^  and  thus  was  formed  the  day 
and  night  (Gen.  i.  3-4).  Such  was  the  work  of  the  first  day.  God 
made  light  succeed  darkness  in  order  that  man  might  give  himself  up 
to  labor  and  provide  for  his  wants ;  darkness  succeeds  the  light  in 
order  that  man  might  more  easily  taste  the  sweetness  of  sleep  neces- 
sary to  rest  his  faculties  and  renew  his  exhausted  strength. 

On  the  second  day  God  made  the  firmament,  and  divided  the 
"Waters  that  were  under  the  firmament  from  those  that  were  above  it 


ON   THE   CREATION 


25 


(Gen.  I.  7).  The  firmament  is  the  space  which  extends  from  the 
surface  of  the  earth  to  the  extremity  of  space.  Imagination  cannot 
represent  to  itself  this  immense  space.  The  sun  is  nearly  one  hundred 
millions  of  miles  from  the  earth.  Learned  men  conjecture  that  there 
are  fixed  stars  twenty-seven  times  further  away  than  the  sun,  and  per- 
haps beyond  these  there  are  millions  of  others  infinitely  more  distant. 
What  must  not  be  the  immensity  of  a  God  who  fills  such  a 
universe !  .  .  .  All  nations  together  are  before  Him  only  as  a 
grain  of  sand.  What  is  the  most  powerful  and  greatest  man  when 
compared  with  God?  Let  us  adore  His  infinite  majesty,  my  brethren, 
and  let  us  humble  ourselves  at  the  thought  of  so  much  grandeur  on 
the  one  hand,  and  so  much  nothingness  on  the  other. 

The  earth  was  still  wholly  covered  by  the  waters  and  mingled 
with  them.  On  the  third  day,  therefore,  God  assembled  in  one  place 
all  the  waters  that  were  under  heaven,  and  He  called  this  the  sea  by 
tracing  limits  which  He  forbade  it  to  pass  :  Hitherto  thou  shalt  come, 
and  shalt  go  no  further  (Job  xxxviii.  11).  Then  He  commanded 
the  earth  to  bring  forth  green  trees,  each  producing  seed  according  to 
its  kind. 

The  earth  thus  adorned  and  embellished  became  a  worthy  sojourn 
of  man.  What  a  magnificent  sight  should  one  day  offer  itself  to  his 
view!  What  an  infinite  variety  of  plants,  what  freshness  of  foliage, 
what  brilliancy  of  flowers,  and  what  sweetness  and  liveliness  of 
colors!  Indeed,  to  use  the  words  of  our  Saviour,  Solomon  in  all 
his  glory  was  not  arrayed  as  richly  as  a  lily  of  the  field.  With  what 
transports  of  admiration  and  love  must  man  have  been  seized  in 
leaving  the  hands  of  his  Creator  and  appearing  in  the  midst  of  this 
world  so  new  to  him !  St.  Bernard  said  that  the  oaks  of  the  forests 
were  his  teachers,  and  that  at  their  feet  he  was  often  wont  to  meditate 
on  the  grandeurs  of  God.  With  what  a  lively  and  profound  impres- 
sion of  the  infinite  power  of  God  must  the  first  man  have  been 
penetrated  when  he  beheld  himself  placed  in  the  bosom  of  a  nature 
so  mysterious  and  so  wonderful. 

On  the  fourth  day  God  made  two  great  lights,  the  sun  and  the 
moon.  They  are  called  thus,  because  they  are  not  only  greater 
than  the  stars,  but  because,  being  nearer  to  us,  they  appear  to  us 
as  such  and  give  us  more  light.  The  sun  which  lights  and  warms 
the  earth  into  fruitfulness  is  an  image  of  the  God,  the  sun  of  jus- 
tice, who  is  the   glory  and  happiness  of  the   saints  in   heaven    and 


26  FIRST   PART.      IV.   INSTRUCTION 

the  principle  and  source  of  all  the  graces  on  earth.  The  sun  travels 
like  a  giant  above  the  earth,  without  deviating  one  particle  from 
the  route  that  has  been  traced  out  for  it.  Do  we  labor  as  faith- 
fully for  the  glory  of  our  divine  Master,  and  obey  as  faithfully  the 
laws  which  He  has  imposed  upon  us? 

On  the  fifth  day  God  commanded  the  waters  to  bring  forth  fishes 
and  birds,  and  in  an  instant  a  countless  multitude  of  fishes  swarmed 
in  the  seas  and  rivers,  and  an  infinite  number  of  birds  filled  the  air. 
The  birds  present  to  us  some  instructive  lessons.  Let  us  listen  to  the 
language  of  the  saints  :  Just  as  the  birds,  they  say,  come  down  to 
the  ground  only  to  look  for  nourishment,  so  also  should  man  habitu- 
ally raise  his  mind  and  heart  towards  heaven  ;  and  just  as  the  birds 
alight  on  the  ground  only  after  having  observed  whether  any  snares 
may  have  been  laid  for  them,  so,  also,  when  man  ventures  into 
the  world,  he  should  exercise  the  greatest  prudence,  because  it  is 
full  of  traps  and  snares  placed  therein  by  the  enemy  of  his  soul. 

On  the  sixth  day  God  commanded  the  earth  to  bring  forth  living 
creatures,  cattle,  beasts,  etc.,  each  according  to  its  kind;  and  imme- 
diately the  eartli  produced  a  countless  number  of  animals,  some  of 
which  were  destined  to  nourish  man,  to  clothe  him,  to  guard  and  to 
defend  him,  to  assist  him  in  his  labors,  and  for  other  ends  which 
we  often  do  not  know,  but  which,  undoubtedly,  are  always  good  and 
worthy  of  the  divine  wisdom.  Finally,  God  ended  His  work  by 
the  creation  of  man,  the  lord  of  nature,  and  the  masterpiece  of  His 
hands,  who,  with  the  angels  alone  of  all  creatures,  should  be  capable 
of  celebrating  His  glory  and  recognizing  His  benefits. 

Such  is  the  abridgment  of  the  account  which  Moses  gives  to  us 
of  the  work  of  the  ^^  six  days  ^^  of  the  creation.  What  beauties,  what 
wonders  in  the  whole,  and  in  each  of  its  parts!  The  power  and 
wisdom  of  its  Author  shine  out  everywhere.  Let  us  cry  out  in  the 
language  of  the  prophet :  O,  my  soul,  bless  the  Lord !  All  the  world 
is  full  of  Thy  magnificence !  May  all  creatures  praise  Thee  forever ! 
May  the  heavens  and  the  earth  and  all  that  Thou  hast  made  glorify 
Thee  forever  and  ever !     Amen. 


ON  THE  ANGELS 


27 


V.     INSTRUCTION 

First  Article  of  the  Creed  (  Confd) 

On  the  Angels 

I.  HoLV  Scripture  does  not  tell  us  formally  on  what  day  God 
created  the  angels.  Some  holy  Fathers  believed  that  it  was  when 
God  created  the  light ;  and  others,  when  He  made  the  firmament. 
However  this  may  be,  it  is  a  matter  of  faith  that  there  are  angels. 
The  Sacred  Books  often  make  mention  of  them ;  and  we  profess  to 
believe  in  the  angels  when  we  recite  the  Creed,  and  w^hen  we  say:  / 
believe  in  one  God,  the  Father  Almighty,  creator  of  heaven  and  earth, 
of  all  things  visible  and  invisible. 

The  nature  and  perfections  of  the  angels,  their  number,  the  unfor- 
tunate fall  and  the  punishment  of  some,  the  fidelity  and  reward  of  the 
others,  their  employment  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  the  services  which 
the  good  angels  render  to  us,  the  hatred  which  the  fallen  angels  bear 
towards  us,  are  the  points  which  we  have  to  examine  in  this  instruc- 
tion. 

II.  What  are  the  angels?  The  angels,  says  the  Catechism,  are 
pure  spirits  whom  God  makes  use  of  to  lead  men  to  execute  His  will. 
We  call  them  pure  spirits  to  distinguish  them  from  our  soul  which  is 
also  a  spirit,  but  which  is  united  to  a  body.  When  we  see  the  angels 
represented  with  a  body  similar  to  ours,  it  is  only  to  call  them  to  our 
mind,  and  because  they  have  often  appeared  under  this  form.  The 
good  angels  are  represented  under  the  figure  of  winged  youth,  to 
show  their  innocence  and  their  swiftness  in  executing  the  orders  of 
God.  The  bad  angels  are  represented  under  the  figure  of  serpents, 
because  it  was  under  this  form  that  the  devil  tempted  our  first  parents 
in  the  earthly  paradise ;  and  under  the  figure  of  wild  beasts,  to  show 
their  strength  and  fury.  Being  pure  spirits,  the  angels  are  exempt 
from  the  infirmities  and  needs  to  which  bodies  are  subject ;  they  are 
immortal  like  our  soul,  in  the  sense  that  they  had  a  beginning,  as  our 
soul  had,  but  like  it  they  will  have  no  end. 

III.  We  do  not  know  the  number  of  angels  God  created ;  but  it  is 
certain  that  the  number  was  very  considerable.  The  holy  man  Job 
says  that  the  angels  are  without  number,  and  the  prophet  Daniel,  as 
well  as  St.  John,  in  the  Apocalypse,  assures  us  of  having  seen  thou- 
sands and  millions  of  them.     This  multitude  of  heavenly  spirits  is 


28  FIRST  PART.      V.    INSTRUCTION 

distributed  into  three  hierarchies,  and  each  hierarchy  into  three  choirs. 
The  first  hierarchy  contains  the  seraphim,  the  cherubim,  and  the 
thrones;  the  second  the  dominations,  the  virtues,  and  the  powers;  and 
the  third  the  principalities,  the  archangels,  and  the  angels.  However, 
we  call  all  the  celestial  spirits  angels. 

IV.  In  what  state  were  the  angels  created?  God  created  them  in 
the  state  of  grace  and  sanctity  and  adorned  them  at  the  same  time 
with  the  most  sublime  qualities.  Exemption  from  all  sin  and  from 
every  inclination  to  sin,  a  pure  and  holy  love,  and  a  will  always 
inclined  towards  good  —  these  were  the  supernatural  gifts  with 
which  they  were  endowed.  Great  understanding  and  science, 
with  power,  agility,  wonderful  beauty,  and  perfect  happiness  —  such 
were  the  natural  gifts  with  which  they  were  enriched :  ^^  In  them 
was  the  perfection  of  nature  and  the  fullness  of  grace, *^  said  St. 
Augustine. 

But  not  all  of  them  preserved  these  precious  gifts.  Lucifer  and  a 
great  number  of  others  soon  became  puffed  up  with  pride,  on  account 
of  their  brilliant  qualities.  Far  from  acknowledging  that  God  was 
their  author,  far  from  being  thankful  to  Him,  they  believed  themselves 
equal  to  Him,  and  that  they  could  do  without  Him.  They  refused 
Him  their  love  and  obedience,  and  raised  against  Him  the  standard  of 
revolt.  But  the  chastisement  of  so  enormous  a  crime  was  not  long 
delayed.  Hardly  had  they  consummated  their  wicked  attempt  when 
God  raised  the  arm  of  His  justice  and  ignominiously  drove  them  from 
heaven,  created  hell,  and  hurled  them  into  it  for  eternity.  Such  was 
the  lot  of  the  bad  angels  whom  we  call  the  spirits  of  darkness  or 
devils. 

We  see,  my  brethren,  that  it  was  pride  and  nothing  else  that 
caused  the  loss  of  this  numberless  multitude  of  celestial  spirits.  Oh, 
how  inexorable  is  the  justice  of  God  in  not  giving  them  either  the 
time  or  the  means  to  repair  their  crime!  Can  we  sufficiently  detest 
the  vice  of  pride,  the  source  of  so  many  misfortunes?  If  a  single 
thought  of  pride  could  cause  the  eternal  loss  of  millions  of  rebellious 
angels,  what  may  those  Christians  expect  whose  life  is  one  long  suc- 
cession of  sins  of  pride,  of  vanity,  and  self-love! 

Fearful  as  was  the  justice  of  God  towards  the  bad  angels.  His 
goodness  and  liberality  towards  the  good  were  equally  remarkable. 
To  reward  them  for  their  fidelity  and  submission  during  the  time  of 
their  trial.  He  raised  the  veil  which  until  now  had  hidden  Him  from 


ON   THE   ANGELS  29 

their  eyes ;  He  showed  Himself  to  them  face  to  face  and  revealed 
Himself  as  He  is.  He  put  them  in  possession  of  all  the  celestial 
delights  and  overwhelmed  them  with  an  eternity  of  glory  and 
happiness. 

V.  What  is  the  office  of  the  good  and  of  the  bad  angels.?  In  hell 
the  bad  angels  are  forever  cursing  and  blaspheming  the  justice  of  God 
which  chastises  them.  Upon  earth  they  lay  snares  for  man,  tempt 
him,  and  endeavor,  by  all  possible  means,  to  drag  him  down  to  hell, 
because  they  are  jealous  of  his  happiness.  God  allows  this  in  order  to 
render  our  virtues  more  meritorious  and  worthy  of  a  great  reward. 
But  we  need  not  fear  their  malice  and  fury.  God  is  faithful  to  His 
promises,  and  He  will  never  permit  us  to  be  tempted  above  our 
strength.  "The  devil  can  solicit,  he  can  roar  like  a  lion,'*  says  St. 
Augustine,  "  but  he  cannot  bite  any  except  they  are  willing  to  be 
bitten.**  To  conquer  the  devil  and  repel  all  his  attacks,  we  need  only 
be  resolved  to  do  so,  with  the  help  of  God.  But  we  must  will  it  with 
all  our  energy,  and  know  how  to  make  use  of  the  proper  means.  The 
most  powerful  weapons  are  watchfulness,"  fasting,  and  prayer.  The 
sign  of  the  cross  is  also  an  excellent  means  to  put  the  enemy  of  our 
salvation  to  flight. 

As  odious  and  despicable  as  is  the  work  of  the  bad  angels,  equally 
admirable  and  loving  is  the  office  of  the  good  angels.  They  sing  the 
praises  of  God  eternally  in  heaven,  execute  His  will  upon  earth,  and 
watch  over  our  interests.  Among  the  heavenly  spirits  there  is  a  great 
number  surrounding  the  throne  of  God's  majesty,  awakening  the 
echoes  of  heaven  with  their  sublime  canticle  :  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the 
God  of  hosts.  That  is  the  office  of  the  cherubim  and  seraphim  who 
are  the  most  elevated  in  glory.  Others,  as  the  archangels,  are  charged 
to  announce  upon  earth  the  will  of  the  Most  High,  and  to  execute  His 
orders.  Thus  they  appeared  in  olden  times  to  Abraham  and  Lot  to 
admonish  them  of  the  vengeance  which  God  was  preparing  against 
the  infamous  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  They  appeared  to 
Isaac,  Jacob,  Samuel,  Tobias,  and  to  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. The  archangel  Gabriel  was  sent  to  the  high-priest  Zacharias 
to  declare  to  him  the  birth  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  and  to  Mary  to 
announce  the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation.  Faith  teaches  us,  also,  that 
there  are  angels  who  continually  watch  over  us  in  all  the  circum- 
stances of  life  :  I^or  He  hath  given  His  angels  charge  over  thee  (Ps. 
xc,  11).     We  call  these  our  guardian  angels. 


3° 


FIRST   PART.      V.   INSTRUCTION 


VI.  The  services  which  the  good  angels  render  to  us  are  too  great, 
and  our  duties  towards  them  are  too  important,  to  pass  over  in  silence. 

Prayer,  watchfulness,  and  protection  constitute  the  threefold  min- 
istry which  our  guardian  angels  exercise  towards  us.  Our  guardian 
angel  —  for  each  one  has  his  own  —  never  ceases  to  pray  for  us,  and 
to  beg  of  God  the  graces  necessary  to  us.  He  offers  to  God  our  own 
prayers  as  well  as  our  works,  as  the  archangel  Raphael  did  for 
Tobias:  /  offered  thy  prayers  to  the  Lord  (Tob.  xii.  12).  He 
watches  over  us  to  warn  us  against  the  snares  of  the  devil,  and  to  de- 
fend us  against  his  attacks.  As  much  as  the  infernal  spirit  is  anxious 
to  ruin  us,  so  much  and  more  still  is  our  good  angel  interested  in  our 
salvation.  Not  only  does  he  interest  himself  in  the  salvation  of  our 
soul,  but  also  in  our  health  and  corporal  life.  Thus,  the  archangel 
Raphael  enchained  the  devil  who  had  killed  the  seven  husbands  of 
Sara.  The  Lord  had  given  His  angels  charge  over  thee,  says  the 
prophet,  to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways.  In  their  hands  they  shall  bear 
thee  up,  lest  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone  ;  thou  shall  walk  upon 
the  asp  and  the  basilisk,  and  thou  shall  tratnple  under  foot  the  lion 
and  the  dragon  (Ps.  xc.  11— 13). 

Although  we  cannot  see  our  guardian  angel,  he  is  always  at  our 
side  to  defend  and  to  protect  us.  In  a  thousand  circumstances,  per- 
haps, he  has  saved  our  life.  When  lightning  falls  at  our  side  with- 
out harming  us,  when  we  escape  the  jaws  of  a  wild  and  furious 
animal,  when  we  are  preserved  from  accidents  of  w^ater  and  fire,  from 
falls,  from  epidemic  diseases  which  might  threaten  our  health  or  our 
life,  believe  me,  it  is  our  guardian  angel  to  whom  most  often  we  owe 
our  deliverance.  Not  content  with  watching  over  us,  he  consoles  us 
in  our  troubles,  he  assists  us  with  his  good  inspirations,  and  tries  by 
every  means  in  his  power  to  be  useful  to  us. 

In  return  for  so  many  signal  services,  my  brethren,  what  are  the 
duties  we  have  to  fulfill  towards  our  good  guardian  angel.?  First  of 
all,  we  owe  him  ^*  thankfulness  for  his  benefits, ^^  says  St.  Bernard. 
Indeed,  after  God  and  the  Blessed  Virgin,  is  there  anybody  in  heaven 
or  on  earth  to  whom  we  are  more  indebted?  When  the  archangel 
Raphael  had  guarded  on  his  journey  and  brought  back  safely  the 
young  Tobias,  the  father  called  his  son  and  said  to  him :  What  can  ive 
give  to  this  holy  man  ivho  took  care  of  thee?  (Tob.  xii.  i.)  And 
they  were  of  a  mind  to  offer  to  him  half  of  their  goods.  So  also,  my 
brethren,  when  your  guardian  angel  has  preserved  you  from  a  danger. 


ON   MAN  21 

or  saved  you  from  some  temptation,  you  cannot,  indeed,  ofTer  him  tem- 
poral goods  of  which  he  has  no  need,  but  you  can,  at  least,  offer  him 
love  for  love. 

A  second  duty  towards  your  guardian  angel  is  **  respect  for  his  holy 
presence,*  says,  again,  St.  Bernard.  The  angel  whom  we  have  contin- 
ually at  our  side  is  a  prince  of  the  heavenly  court,  and  one  of  those 
sublime  spirits  that  surround  the  throne  of  the  divine  majesty.  Where- 
ever  we  may  be  he  sees  us,  hears  us,  and  touches  us,  so  to  say.  How, 
then,  can  we  dare  to  commit  in  his  holy  presence  those  shameful 
actions  which  we  would  not  dare  to  commit  before  the  least  of  men  ? 
Ah!  if  we  could  only  understand  the  pain  which  we  cause  to  this 
faithful  friend  by  our  sins! 

Finally,  says  St.  Bernard,  we  should  **  invoke  him  with  confi- 
dence.** On  the  one  hand  he  interests  himself  so  much  for  us,  and  on 
the  other  he  has  so  great  a  power  with  God  —  why,  then,  should  we 
not  have  recourse  to  him  ?  Why  should  we  not  implore  his  assistance 
in  all  our  trials  and  in  all  our  needs  as  a  friend  implores  the  aid  of  a 
friend,  as  an  unfortunate  man  the  aid  of  a  benefactor,  as  a  child  that 
of  its  father  or  mother?  Yes,  my  brethren,  we  should  often  invoke 
our  guardian  angel.  We  should  invoke  him  morning  and  evening, 
and  often  during  the  day ;  we  should  consult  him  in  our  projects,  and 
should  communicate  to  him  our  secrets,  and  make  him  our  confidant 
in  all  our  troubles.  The  more  confidence  you  have  in  your  guardian 
angel,  the  more  he  will  lavish  his  care  upon  you,  and  the  more  graces 
he  will  obtain  for  you.  O  good  angel  who  art  ever  at  my  side,  who 
seest  and  hearest  me,  I  honor  and  bless  thy  holy  presence!  I  thank 
thee  for  the  numberless  services  thou  hast  rendered  me!  I  ask  pardon 
for  all  the  pain  I  may  have  caused  thee  by  my  malice  and  ingratitude, 
and  I  promise  to  be  more  faithful  in  the  future.     Amen. 


VI.     INSTRUCTION 
First  Article  of  the  Creed  (  Concluded) 

On  the  First  Man  ^^'^    ^^\ 

I.  The  angels  had  been  created,  the  stars  revolved  in  the  heavens, 
and   the   earth    was    loaded    with   fruits,   when    the   Eternal  Father, 


32 


FIRST  PART.      VI.    INSTRUCTION 


addressing  the  other  two  Divine  persons,  said  :  Let  us  make  man  to 
our  image  and  likeness  (Gen.  i.  26). 

When  a  prince  is  to  make  his  triumphal  entry  into  a  city,  the  in- 
habitants are  careful  to  prepare  for  him  magnificent  apartments,  to 
adorn  and  ornament  all  the  places  where  he  is  to  pass.  Man  was  to 
be  the  king  of  creation,  he  was  to  be  the  epitome  of  all  creation.  As 
St.  Gregory  says,  man  was  to  share  existence  with  the  stone,  life  with 
the  plants,  feeling  with  the  animals,  and  intelligence  with  the  angels. 
And  so,  according  to  the  beautiful  remark  of  Bossuet,  whilst  until 
now  God  had  made  everything  by  commands  :  Let  light  be  made. 
.  .  .  Let  there  be  a  jirm.ament  made  amidst  the  'waters^  etc.,  when 
there  is  question  of  the  creation  of  man,  the  divine  persons  hold  coun- 
sel together,  and  agree  to  make  man  according  to  their  own  image 
and  likeness.     What  a  high  idea  God  gives  us  of  our  own  nature! 

II.  In  order  that  man  should  not  be  proud  of  his  beautiful  pre- 
rogatives, and  that  the  remembrance  of  his  origin  should  be  always 
for  him  a  powerful  motive  of  humility,  God  determined  to  draw 
his  body  out  of  the  slime  of  the  earth,  and  give  to  him  the  name  of 
Adam,  which  signifies  ^* earthly.**  But  at  the  same  time  he  lavished 
upon  him  greater  gifts  than  upon  any  other  creature  which  had  ap- 
peared thus  far  upon  earth.  Consider  his  majestic  bearing,  his  up- 
right stature,  the  head  raised  towards  heaven,  whilst  the  eyes  of  all 
animals  are  bent  tow^ards  the  earth.  Consider  the  beauty,  the  strength, 
the  suppleness  of  man,  the  look  mild  and  proud  by  turns,  that  ex- 
pression of  his  features,  in  which  are  reflected  all  the  sentiments  of 
the  soul;  is  there  anything  like  it  under  the  sun? 

III.  But  this  was  only  the  material  part  of  man's  being.  How- 
ever beautiful  and  perfect  the  body  of  man  may  have  been,  it  was  of 
itself  unworthy  of  the  end  for  which  God  had  made  him.  Man  was 
not  made  for  this  world  alone,  although  the  world  was  created  for 
him;  he  was  created  to  love  and  to  glorify  his  Master.  It  was  neces- 
sary, therefore,  that  man  should  be  endowed  with  an  intelligence 
capable  of  knowing  Him  and  a  heart  capable  of  loving  Him.  In  a 
word,  he  had  to  have  a  soul,  but  not  a  purely  sensitive  soul  which 
perishes  with  the  body,  like  that  of  the  brutes,  but  an  intelligent  and 
rational  soul,  a  soul  that  should  never  die,  like  the  happy  spirits  in 
heaven. 

My  brethren,  God  gave  this  spiritual  and  immortal  soul  to  man  by 
the  breath  of  life  :  He  breathed  into  his  face  the  breath  of  life,  and 


ON   MAN  23 

man  became  a  living  soul  (Gen.  ii.  7).  By  this  divine  breath  we 
must  be  very  careful  not  to  understand  something  material  and  perish- 
able, as  the  air  or  vapor  which  goes  forth  from  our  mouth.  No,  God 
being  a  pure  spirit,  His  breath  can  be  only  spiritual  and  immortal  as 
God  Himself. 

This  is  why  it  is  said  that  God  made  man  according  to  His  own 
image  and  likeness.  It  is  not  by  the  body  that  man  resembles  God, 
but  by  his  soul.  How  does  our  soul  resemble  God.''  It  is  a  pure  spirit, 
like  God,  free  and  immortal,  like  God;  and  by  its  three  distinct  facul- 
ties, memory,  understanding,  and  will,  it  is  a  striking  image  of  the 
Most  Holy  Trinity.  Thus,  when  our  body  perishes,  our  soul  does  not 
perish.  This  is  one  of  the  fundamental  points  of  our  holy  religion. 
Upon  the  immortality  of  the  soul  is  based  the  dogma  of  a  future  life ; 
and  the  existence  of  another  life  forever  happy  or  unhappy,  is  the 
sanction  of  the  commandments  and  the  groundwork  of  tKe  morals 
of  the  Gospel.  If  there  were  neither  heaven  nor  hell,  who  would 
submit  to  the  laws  of  God  and  the  Church,  often  so  difficult  and  so 
painful  ?  And  if  our  soul  were  to  die  with  the  body ;  if  after  our 
death  all  would  be  over  for  us,  as  for  the  brute,  for  whom  would 
be  the  rewards  or  punishments  of  the  other  life  ? 

IV.  Man  is,  therefore,  a  rational  creature,  composed  of  a  body 
and  a  soul.  The  soul  of  man  is  an  immortal  spirit^  made  according 
to  the  image  of  God.  The  soul  of  man  created  according  to  God's 
image !  What  a  dignity,  what  a  noble  origin !  And  what  a  degra- 
dation and  ingratitude,  when  he  soils  his  soul  by  sin!  **  Therefore,** 
says  St.  Ambrose,  "  man  know  thyself,  what  thou  art  and  what  thou 
shouldst  be."  If  it  is  a  crime  of  high  treason  to  drag  in  the  mire 
the  picture  of  a  prince,  what  an  outrage  and  sacrilege  to  prostitute  to 
the  devil  the  image  and  likeness  of  God !  The  soul  of  man  is  made 
to  knoiv  God,  to  love  and  possess  Him.  What  a  noble  and  sublime 
end!  We  have  not  been  created,  my  brethren,  for  the  perishable 
goods  and  pleasures  of  this  world,  for  they  are  incapable  of  satisfying 
the  whole  extent  of  our  desires ;  we  are  bom  for  something  greater. 
We  are  made  for  God  and  for  the  possession  of  His  glory,  and  our 
heart  will  never  rest,  except  in  God. 

V.  Let  us  return  to  the  creation.  God,  after  having  created  the 
first  man,  said  :  //  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone;  let  us  make  him  a 
helper  like  unto  himself  (Gen.  11.  18).  And  at  the  same  time  He 
cast  a  deep  sleep  upon  Adam,  a  kind  of  rapture  and  ecstasy,  during 

3 


34 


•^. 


FIRST   PART.      VI.    INSTRUCTION 


which  He  took  from  his  side  one  of  his  ribs,  and  formed  a  woman, 
breathed  into  her  an  immortal  soul,  and  called  her  Eve,  w^hich  sig- 
nifies mother  of  the  living.  In  taking  from  Adam  a  part  of  himself 
from  the  region  nearest  the  heart,  God  wished  to  teach  us  that  there 
should  reign  between  man  and  wife  the  most  perfect  union,  that 
they  should  form  one  heart  and  soul,  as  they  form  only  one  body: 
And  they  shall  be  tivo  in  one  Jlesh  (Gen.  ii.  24). 

From  this  first  union  all  men  descend.  From  this  we  draw  our 
origin.  And,  although  there  are  nations  so  different  from  one  an- 
other, in  color,  in  the  shape  of  the  head,  in  the  features  of  the  face,  in 
character ;  although  some  are  white  men,  like  the  Europeans,  and 
others  black,  like  the  Ethiopians,  and  yellow,  like  the  Mongolians, 
and  red,  like  certain  tribes  of  America,  it  is  none  the  less  true  that  we 
all  come  from  the  same  stem,  and  that  Adam  and  Eve  are  the  first 
parents  of  all.  The  distinctions  of  body  which  have  since  arisen 
among  men  have  their  source  in  the  differences  of  food  and  climate. 
God  wished  to  make  us  spring  from  one  common  father,  in  order  to 
establish  a  relationship  among  all,  so  that  we  all  should  form  only  one 
and  the  same  family.  Happy  should  we  be,  if  we  looked  upon  our- 
selves always  as  brethren  and  if  we  constantly  loved  one  another 
as  the  children  of  the  family. 

VI.  In  what  state  were  Adam  and  Eve  created?  God  created 
them,  says  the  Catechism,  in  the  state  of  innocence,  that  is,  in  justice 
and  holiness.  When  they  went  forth  from  the  hands  of  the  Creator, 
they  were  pure  and  spotless  and  were  perfectly  agreeable  to  Him. 
Their  bodies  were  entirely  subject  to  their  soul,  their  senses  to  their 
reason,  and  their  reason  to  God.  They  loved  Him  and  were  loved  by 
Him  ;  they  were  like  two  angels  in  an  earthly  body,  having  no  other 
occupation,  no  other  enjoyment,  but  that  of  praising  and  blessing 
God's  holy  name  and  doing  His  holy  will  in  all  things. 

Besides  the  supernatural  gifts  of  grace,  God  gave  them  the  gift  of 
intelligence  which  made  them  know  all  that  was  important  for  them 
to  know ;  a  docile  will  which  always  inclined  them  towards  good,  and 
a  happy  disposition  which  had  no  inclination  towards  evil.  /  have 
found  that  God  made  man  right  (Eccl.  vii.  30).  Created  as  they 
were  in  the  state  of  a  mature  age,  and  exempt  from  the  weaknesses  of 
childhood,  they  enjoyed  a  vigorous  constitution  and  a  perfect  health. 
They  were  not  subject  either  to  heat  or  to  cold,  to  disease  or  to  death  : 
JFor    God  created  man  incorruptible  (Wis.  11.  23).     He   had   placed 


ON   MAN 


35 


them  in  a  delightful  abode  which,  says  Holy  Scripture,  God  Himself 
had  planted  ■with  His  own  hands  (Gen.  ii  8).  Here  they  were  in 
need  of  no  other  clothing  but  their  innocence,  of  no  other  shelter  but 
the  shadow  of  the  forests.  Fruits  of  all  kinds  provided  abundantly 
for  their  nourishment,  whilst  the  song  of  the  birds,  the  perfume  of  the 
flowers,  and  the  verdure  of  the  fields,  in  the  midst  of  a  continual 
spring,  delighted  and  enchanted  all  their  senses.  Nothing  in  this 
earthly  paradise  was  wanting  to  their  happiness.  Oh  !  my  brethren, 
would  that  our  first  parents  had  known  how  to  profit  by  their  happi- 
ness !  After  having  passed  upon  earth  the  time  which  God  had  des- 
tined for  them,  they  would  have  entered  into  the  possession  of  eternal 
happiness,  without  being  obliged  to  pass  through  the  horrors  of  death! 

VII.  But  alas!  it  was  not  to  be  thus.  You  know^  that  there  were 
in  the  earthly  paradise  tw^o  trees  whose  fruits  surpassed  all  the  rest  by 
their  wonderful  properties.  One  was  the  tree  of  life,  called  thus  be- 
cause it  should  preserve  them  both  in  life  and  health ;  the  other,  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  It  was  the  fruit  of  the  latter 
that  God  had  forbidden  them  to  eat,  under  pain  of  death.  He  had  so 
commanded  them  in  order  to  show  to  them  that  He  was  their  Master ; 
and  in  order  that,  by  their  obedience,  they  should  merit  the  eternal 
happiness  for  which  He  had  created  them,  but  which  He  wished  to 
give  them  only  after  they  would  have  merited  it.  There  was  nothing 
more  just  than  this  commandment,  and  nothing  easier  to  execute. 

But  man  did  not  remain  faithful.  Satan,  the  rebellious  angel 
who  had  been  transformed  into  a  demon,  became  jealous  of  the  happi- 
ness of  our  first  parents  and  conceived  the  odious  project  of  ruining 
them.^  For  this  purpose  he  assumed  the  figure  of  a  serpent,  the  most 
cunning  of  all  animals,  as  well  as  the  most  poisonous,  and  addressing 
the  woman  as  the  weaker  and  more  easy  to  seduce,  he  said  to  her : 
Why  hath  God  commanded  you  that  you  should  not  eat  of  every  tree  of 
paradise?  And  the  woman  answered  him  saying  :  Of  the  fruit  of  the 
trees  that  are  in  paradise  -we  do  eat;  but  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which 
is  in  the  midst  of  paradise  God  hath  commanded  us  that  we  should 
not  eat.  .  .  .  lest  perhaps  we  die  (Gen.  iii.  i).  Perhaps!  she 
commences  to  doubt!  JVo,  you  shall  not  die,  said  Satan,  for  God  doth 
know  that  in  what  day  soever  you  shall  eat  thereof  your  eyes  shall  be 
opened,  and  you  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil  (Gen.  iii. 
4-5).  And  upon  this  word  she  ate  thereof,  and  she  gave  to  her  hus- 
band who  also  ate. 


36 


FIRST  PART.      VI.   INSTRUCTION 


Such  was  the  disobedience  of  our  first  parents,  a  disobedience  so 
much  the  greater  as  it  was  entirely  willful.  They  could  have  kept 
their  innocence  without  difficulty,  because  of  all  the  graces  with 
which  they  w^ere  overwhelmed,  and  because  their  nature  was  entirely 
inclined  towards  good. 

Moreover,  when  we  consider,  with  St.  Augustine,  the  gravity  of 
this  crime,  we  will  find  that  it  contains  in  itself  all  the  other  crimes. 
First,  it  was  an  ingratitude  towards  God,  so  much  the  blacker  and 
more  hateful  as  they  had  received  so  many  more  favors.  It  was  the 
most  insolent  pride,  because  they  wished  to  be  equal  to  God.  It  was 
a  homicide,  and  the  greatest  of  all  homicides,  because  they  knew  that 
by  losing  themselves  they  would  cause  the  loss  of  all  their  posterity. 
This  disobedience  of  Adam  and  Eve  was,  therefore,  an  enormous 
crime,  and  the  greatest  of  all  crimes,  or,  as  St.  Augustine  says,  ^*  an 
incomprehensible  ruin,  and  a  sin  of  incomprehensible  enormity." 

VIII.  What  punishment,  then,  was  great  enough  for  such  a  crime.? 
Hardly  had  Adam  and  Eve  committed  the  sin,  when  they  beheld 
themselves  robbed  of  that  beautiful  garment  of  innocence  which  until 
now  had  formed  their  sole  raiment  and  apparel ;  their  intelligence, 
before  so  lively  and  brilliant,  was  steeped  in  darkness,  and  their 
hearts,  before  so  pure  and  calm,  were  agitated  by  the  storm  of  a  hun- 
dred passions.  From  that  moment  they  were  subject  to  that  law  of 
sin,  to  the  concupiscences  which  should  be,  in  the  course  of  time,  the 
source  of  so  many  disorders  and  the  cause  of  so  much  damnation.  At 
the  same  time  they  were  ignominiously  driven  from  the  earthly  para- 
dise and  condemned  to  till  the  earth  and  eat  their  bread  in  the  sweat 
of  their  brow.  They  were  made  subject  to  death,  to  all  the  diseases 
of  body  and  soul.  To  complete  their  misfortune,  eternal  damnation 
should  inevitably  be  their  share,  if  before  dying  they  did  not  do 
penance.  O  justice  of  God,  how  inexorable  art  thou !  O  sin,  ac- 
cursed sin,  shall  we  ever  commence  to  understand  thy  hideousness 
and  thy  malice! 

IX.  But,  my  brethren,  Adam  by  his  sin  did  not  fall  alone.  He 
also  caused  the  loss  of  all  his  descendants  until  the  end  of  the  world. 
This  is  a  truth  of  faith  about  which  we  are  not  permitted  to  entertain 
the  least  doubt.  It  is  revealed  to  us  in  hundreds  of  places  of  Holy 
Scripture,  especially  in  the  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Romans,  v.  12, 
where  it  is  said  that  sin  has  entered  the  world  through  one  man,  and 
death  through  sin,  and  that  thus  all  men  have  become  subject  to  death, 


ON  MAN 


37 


because  all  men  have  sinned  in  a  single  man  :  As  by  one  man  sin  en- 
tered this  world,  and  by  sin  death;  and  so  death  passeth  upon  all 
men,  in  'whom  all  have  sinned. 

A  mystery,  undoubtedly,  which  we  cannot  understand;  but  a 
mystery  which  explains  many  others,  particularly  that  inclination 
which  we  all  feel  towards  evil,  and  with  which  we  were  not  primi- 
tively created.  Without  desiring  to  sound  the  depth  of  this  mystery, 
we  can,  nevertheless,  oflFer  considerations  which  will  enlighten  our 
feeble  intelligence  and  will  serve  to  show  us  that  it  has  nothing  con- 
trary to  reason.  Adam,  in  his  state  of  innocence,  represented  his  entire 
posterity.  Our  will  was  held  to  be  contained  in  that  of  our  common 
father.  We  can  imagine  that  God  spoke  to  him  thus:  "Adam,  if 
thou  perseverest  in  thy  submission  to  my  orders,  thou  shalt  be  happy, 
as  also  all  thy  descendants ;  but  if  thou  transgressest  my  command, 
thou  shalt  be  lost  and  thou  shalt  cause  the  loss,  also,  of  all  those  who 
will  spring  from  thee.^^  Had  we  been  there  we  would  have  willingly 
subscribed  to  this  proposition  of  God,  because  it  was  more  than  prob- 
able that  Adam  would  persevere.  The  transmission  of  original  sin 
resembles  what  passes  in  nature  and  in  society.  It  is  thus  that  every 
day  we  behold  innocent  children  share  the  lot  of  a  guilty  father.  It 
is  thus  that  a  tree  damaged  at  the  root  can  bring  forth  only  bad  fruit; 
that  a  spring  infected  gives  only  corrupted  water ;  that  a  nurse  com- 
municates to  the  child,  with  her  milk,  the  disease  with  which  she  is 
tainted. 

A  striking  proof  that  there  has  been  a  primitive  fall,  is  the  general 
belief  of  all  nations.  With  history  open  before  us,  it  would  be  easy 
to  establish  that  there  is  not  a  single  nation  that  did  not  believe, 
in  a  more  or  less  explicit  manner,  in  an  original  fall,  because  all  have 
had  expiatory  rites  to  purify  the  child  at  its  entrance  into  life,  Vol- 
taire, who  certainly  cannot  be  suspected  of  too  much  credulity  in 
matters  of  religion,  makes  this  avowal,  when  he  says  in  one  of  his 
books  entitled:  "Philosophy  of  History,"  that  "the  fall  of  degener- 
ated man  was  the  foundation  of  the  theology  of  all  ancient  nations.'^ 

I  will  insist  no  further  on  this  point ;  why  should  I,  after  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  spoken  in  so  clear  a  manner,  and  since  we  assert  that 
the  entire  Christian  religion  is  based  upon  the  dogma  of  original 
sin?  The  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  alone  of  all  mankind,  was  preserved 
from  the  general  corruption  of  original  sin.  St.  John,  the  Baptist, 
was  sanctified  in  the  womb  of  his  mother.     So,  also,  was  Jeremias. 


38 


FIRST  PART.      VII.   INSTRUCTION 


But  what  must  console  us  is  that  this  misfortune  has  not  been  without 
redress,  and  that,  conformably  to  the  promise  which  God  hastened 
to  make  to  our  first  parents,  a  Redeemer  has  come  who  has  abun- 
dantly compensated  for  all  our  losses.  This  will  be  the  subject  of  our 
next  instruction. 


VII.     INSTRUCTION 
Second  Article   of  the  Creed 

And  in  Jesus  Christ,  His  Only  Son,  Our  Lord 

I.  After  the  deplorable  fall  of  our  first  parents  and  the  dreadful 
decree  of  their  condemnation,  the  only  resource  left  to  Adam  and 
to  his  whole  posterity  was  the  divine  mercy.  The  abyss  into  which 
original  sin  had  thrown  us  was  too  deep  for  us  to  rise  out  of  it  by  our 
own  power.  As  sin  had  wounded  and  outraged  an  infinite  majesty, 
a  satisfaction  of  an  infinite  price  was  due  to  God.  His  sovereign 
justice  required  a  reparation  equal  to  the  offense ;  so  that  all  the 
penances,  all  the  virtues,  all  the  prayers,  in  one  word,  all  the  merits 
of  all  men  and  of  all  the  angels  together,  could  never  have  given 
to  God  a  sufficient  satisfaction.  Besides,  all  being  sinners,  all  being 
at  enmity  and  in  disgrace  with  an  outraged  God,  what  could  we  do 
meritorious  for  our  salvation?  What  could  we  do  that  was  worthy 
of  drawing  upon  us  the  mercy  of  the  Most  High.? 

II.  God  was  in  no  way  bound  to  grant  mercy  to  us.  Without 
in  the  least  derogating  from  His  goodness  and  love.  He  could  have 
left  us  in  the  state  of  perdition  into  which  the  sin  of  our  first  parents 
had  plunged  us. 

However,  through  an  excess  of  goodness,  for  which  we  can  never 
show  sufficient  gratitude,  God  had  pity  on  our  great  misery.  As  He 
had  not  made  man  to  condemn  him  for  all  eternity.  He  did  not  desire 
to  leave  him  in  the  damnation  which  he  had  brought  upon  himself. 
Hardly  had  Adam  consummated  his  crime  and  undergone  the  sentence 
of  divine  justice  which  excluded  him  and  all  his  descendants  from  the 
abode  of  the  blessed,  when  God  announced  the  word  of  pardon  and 
mercy,  by  promising  to  him  that  from  the  woman  would,  rise  one  who 


ON  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  INCARNATION  ^g 

'Would  crush  the  head  of  the  serpent  (Gen.  in.  15),  that  is,  who 
would  break  down  the  empire  of  the  demon  upon  earth  and  free  man 
from  the  yoke  of  his  tyranny ;  who  would  reconcile  him  with  God, 
and  restore  to  him  all  his  rights ;  in  a  word,  God  promised  man  a 
Redeemer. 

III.  But  who  should  this  Redeemer  be?  Ah!  my  brethren,  here  I 
need  your  full  attention  in  order  that  you  may  understand  the  mystery 
which  I  announce  to  you.  What  had  man  done  by  revolting  against 
God.?  I  have  told  you  already  that  he  had  committed  a  sin  of  an  in- 
finite malice.  Why.?  because  he  outraged  a  God  whose  majesty  is 
infinite.  Indeed,  the  gravity  of  the  offense  is  always  measured  by  the 
dignity  of  the  person  offended.  Thus  a  word  or  an  action  that  would 
be  only  a  slight  fault  against  a  father,  would  be  a  crime  of  high  trea- 
son against  a  king,  and  a  sacrilege  against  a  pontiff.  But  when 
man  has  committed  an  offense  of  an  infinite  malice,  a  satisfaction  of 
an  infinite  price  is  needed.  Would  man  ever  have  .been  able  to  offer 
to  God  such  a  satisfaction  ?  No  ;  for  the  merit  of  an  action  is  drawn 
from  the  dignity  of  the  person  who  does  it.  Now,  it  is  quite  evident 
that  there  is  no  creature  that  can  produce  an  action  of  an  infinite 
value,  because  every  creature  is  by  nature  limited  and  finite.  Thus, 
men,  however  holy  one  might  suppose  them  to  be,  like  the  patriarchs 
and  the  apostles,  would  never  have  been  able,  by  their  prayers,  sacri- 
fices, works  of  mortification  and  penance,  to  repair  in  a  worthy  man- 
ner the  outrage  which  sin  had  done  to  God.  The  angels  themselves, 
in  spite  of  all  their  perfections  and  the  excellence  of  their  nature, 
would  never  have  been  able  to  do  it.  Only  a  God  could  offer  to  an 
outraged  God  a  sufficient  satisfaction.  But  as  God  is  essentially 
happy  and  incapable  of  suffering,  in  order  to  be  able  to  expiate  sin 
it  was  necessary  for  Him  to  become  man,  that  is,  to  assume  a  nature 
capable  of  suffering.  Hence  it  was  indispensable  that  the  Redeemer 
be  God  and  Man  at  the  same  time;  man  to  suffer,  and  God  to  give  an 
infinite  value  to  His  sufferings. 

IV.  Did  God  send  this  Redeemer  upon  earth  immediately  after 
the  sin  of  Adam?  No,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  He  sent  Him  only  some  thousands  of  years  after.  There 
were  reasons  for  this  delay  —  reasons  unknown  to  us,  but  always 
worthy  of  the  Lord's  wisdom.  All  we  can  suppose  is  that  He  desired 
that  man  witnessing  the  intense  darkness  and  frightful  debaucheries 
with   which  the   earth    was   covered    in    the  course    of   ages,   should 


40  FIRST  PART.      VII.   INSTRUCTION 

understand  to  the  full  extent  the  fatal  consequence  of  his  crime, 
should  deplore  his  sin  and  ingratitude,  and  learn  to  sigh  for  a  Re- 
deemer. 

In  order  that  mankind  should  preserve  the  belief  in  a  Redeemer  to 
come,  God  was  careful  to  renew  His  promise  from  time  to  time. 
First  he  renewed  it  to  Abraham,  when  he  said  to  him :  /  will 
multiply  thy  seed  as  the  stars  of  heaven^  and  as  the  sands  that  is 
by  the  seashore  .  .  .  and  in  thy  seed  shall  the  nations  of  the 
earth  be  blessed  (Gen.  xxii.  17-18).  He  told  him  that  from  his  race 
should  come  the  one  that  was  to  save  mankind.  He  renewed  this 
promise  by  the  mouth  of  Isaias  who  foretold  that  a  virgin  would  con- 
ceive and  bear  a  son  who  would  be  called  Emmanuel  (Is.  vii.  14). 
He  reminds  mankind  of  the  Redeemer  through  David  and  other 
prophets  who,  long  before  the  coming  of  the  Savior,  foretold  the  time 
and  place  of  His  birth.  His  humiliation.  His  greatness,  His  miracles, 
His  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension,  in  a  word,  all  the  circum- 
stances of  His  life  long  before  they  came  to  pass. 

V.  It  was  by  this  faith  in  the  promised  Redeemer  that  those  who 
lived  before  the  coming  of  our  Saviour  could  save  themselves.  This 
was,  indeed,  a  consoling  truth  for  all  men  who  lived  before  the  advent 
of  Jesus  Christ.  If  men  could  have  saved  themselves  only  after  the 
sacrifice  of  Calvary,  how  deplorable  would  be  the  lot  of  those  millions 
of  unfortunates  who  lived  before  this  great  sacrifice !  Their  eternal 
loss  would  have  been  inevitable  ;  and,  nevertheless,  we  would  be  obliged 
to  bow  in  submission  to  the  decrees  of  divine  justice.  But  it  was 
not  thus ;  and  it  is  the  belief  of  the  Church  that  mankind  before  the 
coming  of  Christ  could  save  themselves,  through  the  merits  of  the 
Redeemer  who  has  since  come.  During  the  thousands  of  years  that 
preceded  His  advent  upon  earth,  it  was  sufficient  for  salvation  to 
have  faith  in  the  Messiah  announced  by  the  prophets  and  to  observe 
the  natural  law  engraved,  from  the  beginning,  by  the  hand  of  God, 
in  the  heart  of  all  men,  and  later  on  given  to  Moses  on  tables  of  stone. 
Thus  among  the  Jews,  the  patriarchs  and  prophets,  and  all  those  who 
believed  in  the  future  Messiah,  could  be  saved.  Such  were,  for  ex- 
ample, Adam  and  Eve,  about  whose  salvation  we  are  not  permitted 
to  entertain  any  doubt ;  Abel,  with  whose  sacrifice  God  was  pleased ; 
Henoch,  who,  on  account  of  the  holiness  of  his  life,  merited  to  be  re- 
moved, both  body  and  soul,  from  this  world  without  passing  through 
the    horrors    of    death.       Such    were,    again,    Noah,    Melchisedech, 


ON  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  INCARNATION 


41 


Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Joseph,  Tobias,  Moses,  David,  and  so  many 
other  holy  personages  of  every  sex  and  state,  whose  faith  was  so 
lively,  says  St.  Paul,  that  it  made  them  surmount  all  the  obstacles 
opposed  to  their  salvation. 

Even  among  the  pagans,  all  those  who  believed,  like  Job,  in  the 
promised  Messiah,  were  undoubtedly  saved  through  Him,  provided 
that  they  faithfully  observed  the  precepts  of  the  natural  law.  It  is 
true,  these  holy  souls  could  enter  heaven  only  when  Jesus  Christ,  on 
the  day  of  His  ascension,  came  to  open  for  them  its  gates.  But  though 
they  could  not  enter  heaven,  neither  did  they  go  to  hell;  they  were 
detained  in  a  place  called  Limbo  where,  without  enjoying  the  beatific 
vision,  they  were  nevertheless  free  from  all  pain. 

VI.  What  must  we  conclude,  my  brethren,  from  all  this?  That 
we  cannot  be  grateful  enough  to  the  Lord  for  having  drawn  us  from 
the  abyss  into  which  the  sin  of  our  first  parents  had  cast  us.  You 
have  seen  that  through  original  sin  we  were  all  lost,  without  resource. 
God  was  not  bound  to  redeem  us.  Without  derogating  in  any  man- 
ner from  justice.  He  could  have  abandoned  us  to  our  unfortunate  lot, 
as  He  did  with  regard  to  the  bad  angels  who  revolted  against  Him. 
He  could  have  done  this  so  much  the  more  justly  as,  in  order  to  re- 
deem us.  He  had  no  other  means  except  to  sacrifice  His  only  Son,  the 
object  of  all  His  love,  because,  as  we  have  said  already,  all  the  prayers 
and  all  the  mortifications  of  both  angels  and  men  would  have  been 
powerless.  Therefore  let  us  give  thanks  to  God.  Let  us  thank  Him 
for  allowing  us  to  be  born  in  the  light  of  the  Gospel.  For,  although 
we  could  have  saved  ourselves  under  the  law  of  Moses  or  under  the 
natural  law,  how  much  easier  is  it  not  for  us  to  work  out  our  salvation 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Christian  faith! 

However,  in  order  to  be  saved  it  is  not  sufficient  that  a  God  has 
redeemed  us.  It  is  our  duty  to  profit  by  His  merits.  It  is  not  suf- 
ficient that  heaven  is  open  for  us ;  we  must  follow  the  road  that  leads 
to  it,  we  must  exactly  practice  the  duties  which  the  law  of  God  im- 
poses upon  us,  and  carefully  avoid  all  that  it  forbids.  The  Redeemer 
by  His  coming  upon  earth  has  furnished  us  with  the  means  to  do  this. 
He  has  founded  an  infallible  Church  to  instruct  us ;  He  has  established 
a  sacerdotal  ministry  to  direct  us ;  He  has  instituted  seven  Sacraments 
to  give  us  grace.  Now,  it  remains  for  us  to  make  a  good  use  of  all 
these  means.  Woe  to  us,  if,  aided  by  so  many  graces,  and  by  so 
many  lights,  we  should  still  be  lost!     Our  judgment  would  be  much 


.2  FIRST  PART.      VIII.   INSTRUCTION 

more  severe,  and  our  punishment  much  greater  than  if  we  had  never 
known  the  Gospel,  or  if  the  divine  Redeemer  had  never  come  to  save 
us.  As  the  fruit  of  this  instruction,  let  us  redouble  our  love  and 
gratefulness  to  God,  who  has  loved  us  so  much,  and  let  us  renew  our 
zeal  in  the  work  of  our  salvation.     Amen. 


VIII.  INSTRUCTION 
Second  Article  of  the  Creed  (  Concluded) 

I.  In  the  preceding  instruction,  my  brethren,  we  have  said  that 
God,  through  an  effect  of  His  infinite  mercy,  and  without  being 
obliged  by  His  justice,  had  promised  to  send  to  man  a  Redeemer ;  and 
that  in  order  that  mankind  might  not  lose  the  remembrance  of  this 
promise  upon  which  their  salvation  would  depend.  He  was  pleased 
to  remind  them  of  it  from  time  to  time  through  His  prophets.  These 
men  did  not  limit  themselves  to  merely  announcing  the  coming  of 
a  Redeemer;  although  they  lived  so  many  centuries  before  Him,  they 
foretold  in  the  most  precise  manner  the  different  circumstances  of 
His  birth,  life,  and  death,  absolutely  as  the  Gospel  relates  them;  and 
they  announced  the  very  time  when  He  should  arrive  among  us. 

The  patriarch  Jacob  foretold  that  the  Saviour  of  mankind  would 
come  "when  the  sceptre  (that  is,  the  sovereign  power)  should  be  taken 
away  from  "jfuda  (Gen.  XLix.  lo).  Aggeus  and  Malachias  had  an- 
nounced that  the  Messiah  would  come  in  the  time  when  the  temple  of 
Jerusalem,  built  after  the  Babylonian  captivity,  should  still  exist. 
Finally,  Daniel  had  pointed  out  the  year  when  He  would  be  born, 
that  is,  within  the  space  of  four  hundred  and  ninety  years,  begin- 
ning with  the  day  when  the  order  would  be  given  for  the  rebuilding 
of  the  city  of  Jerusalem. 

Already,  my  brethren,  these  events  pointed  out  by  the  prophets 
had  been  literally  fulfilled ;  the  Jewish  people  had  lost  its  national- 
ity and  fallen  under  the  yoke  of  the  Romans;  the  temple  of  Jeru- 
salem was  still  standing,  but  in  a  few  years  it  was  to  be  completely 
destroyed,  never  to  be  rebuilt  again.     Finally,  the  four  hundred  and 


ON  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  INCARNATION  43 

ninety  years  of  Daniel  were  drawing  to  an  end,  when,  amid  the 
general  expectation,  and  when  all  eyes  were  turned  towards  Judea 
which  was  to  be  His  cradle,  the  Desired  of  the  nations  came  upon 
earth,  the  One  who  was  to  reconcile  heaven  and  earth,  the  great 
Redeemer  of  guilty  man,  the  promised  Messiah. 

II.  Who  is  this  Messiah  or  Redeemer  that  came  upon  earth?  It  is 
Jesus  Christ,  the  God  whom  we  adore,  and  the  only  one  through 
whom  we  can  be  saved.  And  how  do  we  know  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  promised  Redeemer?  Because  He  and  He  alone  unites  in  His 
person  all  the  characteristics  of  the  Messiah,  and  in  Him  was  literally 
fulfilled  all  that  the  prophets  had  foretold.  We  need  only  compare 
the  history  of  the  birth,  life,  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  such  as  it  is 
reported  in  the  Gospel,  with  that  which  the  sacred  authors  had  fore- 
told, to  be  convinced  that  it  is  the  one  and  the  same  person. 

Jesus  Christ  came  upon  earth  at  the  precise  time  when  the  Re- 
deemer was  to  come.  He  was  born  of  a  Virgin,  of  the  family  of 
David,  in  the  city  of  Bethlehem,  conformably  to  the  prophecy  of 
Isaias.  His  life  was  passed  in  the  constant  and  most  wonderful  prac- 
tice of  all  the  virtues ;  His  meekness,  patience,  and  charity  knew  no 
bounds.  He  was  the  just  man  par  excellence.  Betrayed  by  one  of 
His  disciples.  He  was  sold  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  overwhelmed 
with  ignominy  and  insults,  made  to  drink  gall  and  vinegar,  His  feet 
and  hands  were  nailed  to  an  infamous  gibbet.  He  was  robbed  of  His 
garment  for  which  lots  were  cast.  Finally,  after  having  breathed 
His  last,  He  was  placed  in  a  tomb,  but  preserved  from  corruption ; 
and  He  rose  to  life  again  the  third  day,  as  David  and  other  prophets 
had  foretold  in  the  most   precise  manner. 

Jesus  Christ  is,  therefore,  that  Redeemer  promised  and  announced 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  This  is  the  basis  of  our  Christian 
faith.  And  woe  to  the  one  who  does  not  believe  this!  The  Jews 
refused  to  acknowledge  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Messiah,  and  what  has  be- 
come of  them  ?  The  pagans  did  not  believe  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and  look 
into  what  an  abyss  of  errors  they  have  been  plunged !  O  Jesus,  our 
Saviour,  what  thanks  should  we  not  render  to  Thee!  Yes,  we  ac- 
knowledge Thee  with  lively  sentiments  of  gratitude  and  love ;  it  is 
Thou  that  hast  been  sent  from  heaven  upon  earth  to  redeem  mankind; 
and  there  is  no  other  name  under  heaven  by  which  we  can  be  saved. 

III.  Who  is  Jesus  Christ,  what  is  His  origin,  nature,  and  person? 
—  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  not  as  men  are  through  grace  or 


44 


FIRST  PART.      VIII.   INSTRUCTION 


adoption,  but  really  and  by  nature,  or  generation,  according  to  the  ex- 
pression of  the  prophet  :  Thou  art  my  son;  this  day  have  I  begotten 
Thee  (Ps.  ii.  7).  This  fundamental  truth  we  find  declared  in  the 
Scriptures  in  too  precise  a  manner  to  leave  any  room  for  doubt. 
What  did  the  angel  say  to  Mary,  when  he  came  to  announce  the  mys- 
tery of  the  Incarnation  ?  The  holy  One  that  shall  be  born  of  thee 
shall  be  called  the  son  of  God  (Luke  i.  35).  At  the  baptism  of  our 
Lord  by  John  the  Baptist,  on  the  shores  of  the  Jordan,  what  did  the 
voice  of  the  heavenly  Father  reveal.?  This  is  my  beloved  son^  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased  (Matt.  in.  17).  Martha  said  to  our  Lord: 
Lord,  I  believe  that  thou  art  Christ  the  son  of  the  living  God  who  art 
come  into  this  world  (John  xi.  27).  St.  Peter,  in  his  famous  profes- 
sion of  faith,  exclaimed  :  Thou  art  Christ,  the  son  of  the  living  God 
(Matt.  XVII.  16). 

During  the  whole  course  of  his  public  life,  Jesus  Christ  constantly 
called  Himself  the  Son  of  God,  to  the  great  offense  of  the  Jews,  who, 
believing  Him  a  mere  man,  looked  upon  Him  as  a  blasphemer  and 
wished  to  stone  Him.  But  the  time  when  He  declared  Himself  most 
emphatically  in  regard  to  His  heavenly  origin,  was  when,  dragged 
before  Caiphas,  during  His  passion,  that  impious  pontiff  asked  and 
adjured  Him  to  say  whether  He  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God.  And  Jesus  Christ,  who  until  now  had  kept  the  strictest 
silence,  believes  it  His  duty  to  declare  Himself,  in  order  to  confirm  a 
truth  so  essential,  and  He  does  not  hesitate  to  answer  :  Thou  hast 
said  it.  Nevertheless,  I  say  to  you,  hereafter  you  shall  see  the  son  of 
man  sitting  on^  the  right  hand  of  the  power  of  God,  and  coming  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven  (Matt.  xxvi.  64).  Our  Lord  made  this  formal  dec- 
laration, though  He  foresaw  very  well  that  by  it  He  would  bring 
upon  Himself  the  sentence  of  condemnation. 

IV.  Since  Jesus  Christ,  the  promised  Redeemer,  is  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  only  Son  of  God,  does  it  not  follow  that  He  is  God  like  His 
Father,  and  of  the  same  nature  with  Him:  God  from  God,  light 
from  light,  true  God  from  the  true  God,  as  the  Church  speaks  in  the 
Nicene  Creed?  Holy  Scripture  formally  teaches  this,  and  especially 
the  apostle  St.  John,  when  he  says  that  in  the  beginning  Was  the 
Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God  . 
and  the  Word  was  made  fesh  and  dwelt  amongst  us,  for  the  expres- 
sion Word  is  the  name  given  to  the  Son  of  God,  the  Son  being  the 
word  or  the  substantial  thought  of  the  Father. 


ON  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  INCARNATION  4^ 

Such  is,  my  brethren,  after  the  dogma  of  the  existence  of  God  and 
of  one  only  God  in  three  divine  persons,  the  greatest  and  most  im- 
portant of  all  the  truths ;  it  is  the  foundation  of  the  entire  edifice  of 
the  Christian  religion.  We  cannot  deny  it  without  renouncing  our 
baptism,  without  repudiating  our  title  to  disciples  of  the  Saviour.  Let 
us,  therefore,  often  make  acts  of  faith  in  this  profound  mystery,  and 
may  nothing,  not  even  the  fear  of  death,  be  ever  capable  of  shaking 
our  faith  in  it. 

V.  Jesus  Christ  is  not  only  God,  but  He  is  man  at  the  same  time. 
This  is  what  the  apostle  St.  John  wished  to  teach  us,  when  he  said 
that  the  Word  "was  made  Jiesh  and  dwelt  amongst  us  (John  i.  14). 
He  took  a  nature  similar  to  ours ;  a  body  like  ours,  subject  to  the 
same  wants  and  to  the  same  infirmities ;  and  a  soul  endowed  like 
ours ;  with  judgment,  intelligence,  and  memory,  with  this  difference 
that  the  faculties  of  the  soul  of  Christ  as  man  were  incomparably 
more  elevated  and  more  perfect  than  ours. 

Therefore,  there  are  in  Jesus  Christ  two  natures,  the  divine  nature 
and  the  human  nature.  The  divine  nature,  because  He  is  God,  and 
the  human  nature,  because  He  is  man.  These  two  natures  are  united 
in  Him  in  the  most  intimate  and  inseparable  manner,  and  still  more 
closely  than  our  soul  is  with  our  body ;  for  the  soul  and  body  can  be 
separated  by  death,  whilst  even  at  His  death,  the  humanity  of  our 
Lord  could  not  be  separated  from  His  divinity. 

On  account  of  this  intimate  union  between  these  two  natures,  we 
often  say  things  of  the  humanity  of  our  Lord  which  are  proper  only 
to  His  divinity ;  and  of  His  divinity,  things  which  are  proper  to  His 
humanity.     We  say  that  God  was  born,  that  He  died.     .  .     Jesus 

Christ  was  not  born,  He  did  not  die  in  so  far  as  He  is  God,  because 
God  is  eternal ;  but  He  was  born  only  as  man. 

However,  these  two  natures,  although  most  intimately  united, 
are  nevertheless  not  confounded  with  each  other,  no  more  than  the 
soul  is  confounded  with  the  body  which  it  inhabits.  Each  pre- 
serves the  qualities  and  perfections  which  are  proper  to  it.  Thus, 
if  you  were  asked  whether  Jesus  Christ  is  eternal,  you  should  an- 
swer that  as  God  He  is  eternal,  but  not  as  man;  whether  He  is 
^almighty,  yes.  He  is  as  God,  but  not  as  man.  We  must  make  a  sim- 
ilar answer  and  the  same  distinction  for  the  other  properties  which 
belong  only  to  one  or  to  the  other  of  the  two  natures  which  are  in 
Jesus  Christ. 


46 


FIRST  PART.      VIII.   INSTRUCTION 


Because  there  are  two  natures  in  Jesus  Christ  we  must  draw  the 
rigorous  consequence,  there  are  in  Him  also  two  understandings  and 
two  wills  —  the  divine  understanding  and  the  human  understanding, 
the  divine  will  and  the  human  will.  As  God,  Jesus  Christ  knew 
everything  and  could  not  be  ignorant  of  anything;  as  man,  He  had  all 
the  knowledges  which  the  most  perfect  soul  can  possess,  but  nothing 
beyond  that.  Hence  when  He  was  asked  w^hen  the  end  of  the  world 
would  come,  He  answered  that  He  did  not  know.  As  God  He  knew 
it,  but  not  as  man.  It  is  the  same  with  the  two  wills  in  Jesus  Christ; 
as  God  He  could  wish  a  thing,  and  as  man  He  could  have  a  contrary 
inclination.  We  see  a  remarkable  example  of  this  in  His  agony  in 
the  Garden  of  Olives.  His  divine  will  desired  the  sacrifice  which  He 
was  about  to  make  for  the  salvation  of  the  world ;  His  human  will 
begged  that,  if  it  were  possible,  the  bitter  chalice  of  the  passion  should 
pass  away.  However,  in  Christ  the  human  will  was  always  perfectly 
subject  to  the  divine  will. 

Although  there  are  in  Jesus  Christ  two  natures.  Faith  teaches  us 
that  there  is  only  one  person,  the  divine  Person,  or  the  second  Person 
of  the  Blessed  Trinity.  This  means  that  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Son 
of  man  do  not  make  two  Christs,  but  only  one  and  the  same  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  true  God  by  His  divine  nature ;  the  son 
of  man  and  true  man  by  His  human  nature.  And  as  in  Christ  the 
man  is  united  with  the  God,  and  not  the  God  with  the  man,  only 
the  divine  -person,  and  not  the  human  person,  subsists  in  Jesus 
Christ. 

VI.  Such  are  the  teachings  of  faith  on  the  great  mystery  of  the 
Incarnation  ;  a  profound  mystery  and  infinitely  above  our  intelligence, 
but  a  mystery  infinitely  adorable,  because  God  Himself  has  deigned  to 
reveal  it  to  us.  Let  us  admire  and  bless  the  immense  love  which  God 
shows  us  in  this  ineffable  mystery.  What  more  could  He  do  for  us 
than  to  sacrifice  His  only  Son  by  uniting  Him  with  our  weak  nature 
in  order  to  clothe  its  infirmities  and  miseries,  and  expiate  its  crimes.'' 
What  can  be  more  glorious  for  our  nature  than  to  know  ourselves  thus 
associated  to  the  divine  nature!  O  felix  culpa!  **  O  happy  fault!*' 
cries  out  the  Church,  in  speaking  of  original  sin,  "  which  has  brought 
such  a  Redeemer,'*  quae  talem  meruit  habere  redemptorem.  Let  us 
render  unceasing  thanks  to  the  Lord,  and  let  us  show  ourselves  more 
and  more  worthy  of  the  inestimable  benefits  of  God  by  an  increase  of 
piety  and  love.     Amen. 


ON  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  INCARNATION 


47 


IX.    INSTRUCTION 
Third    Article    of    the  Creed:  —  Incarnation   of  the  Word 

Who    Was  Conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost 

I.  Jesus  Christ,  the  promised  Messiah,  who  came  to  redeem 
mankind,  is,  therefore,  God  and  man  at  the  same  time.  He  is  God, 
because  He  is  the  only  Son  of  the  Eternal  Father;  He  is  man,  because 
He  has  a  body  and  a  soul  like  ours. 

Whence  did  the  Son  of  God  derive  this  body  and  soul,  and  how 
was  the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation  accomplished?  Faith  will  teach 
us  this. 

The  third  article  of  the  Creed  is  expressed  in  the  following  terms : 
/  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  .  .  .  7v/io  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost,, 
and  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  What  do  these  words  mean  ?  They 
signify  that  it  was  Mary  who  brought  forth  Jesus  Christ,  after  having 
conceived  Him  in  her  chaste  womb,  not  according  to  the  ordinary 
ways  of  nature,  but  through  the  cooperation  and  almighty  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

II.  Listen  to  the  history  of  this  wonderful  event,  as  tradition  has 
handed  it  down  to  us  :  - — ^There  was  at  Nazareth,  in  Judea,  a  virgin  of 
eminent  sanctity,  named  Mary,  whose  virtues  had  attracted  the  regards 
of  the  Most  High.  Her  father  was  called  Joachim,  and  her  mother 
Anna,  both  descendants  from  the  royal  family  of  David.  At  the  age  of 
three  years  her  pious  parents  had  permitted  her  to  enter  the  temple  in 
order  to  consecrate  herself  to  the  Lord,  and,  first  of  all  the  daughters 
of  Israel,  although  of  so  tender  an  age,  she  made  there  a  vow  of  vir- 
ginity. Secluded  in  this  holy  asylum  until  the  age  of  fifteen  years, 
and  under  the  care  of  the  priests  to  whom  she  had  been  intrusted,  after 
the  death  of  her  parents,  when  she  was  about  twelve  years  old,  she  did 
not  know  the  world.  She  divided  her  time  between  the  study  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  manual  labor,  prayer,  and  the  service  of  the  altar. 
Adorned  with  the  most  lovely  and  most  beautiful  qualities,  and 
powerfully  seconded  by  divine  grace,  her  heart  was  like  a  furnace  of 
love  for  her  God.  She  practiced  humility,  modesty,  obedience,  and 
all  the  virtues  that  befitted  her  age  and  sex,  with  a  sovereign  perfec- 
tion. Her  holiness  was  so  great  that  she  never  stained  her  soul  with 
the  slightest  venial  sin.     When  she  arrived  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  her 


48 


FIRST   PART.      IX.    INSTRUCTION 


nearest  relatives  wished  her  to  be  married,  and  they  chose  for  her  a 
husband  of  the  highest  virtue,  a  man  named  Joseph,  who,  like  her, 
was  descended  from  the  royal  family  of  David.  Mary  consented  to 
the  marriage  only  under  the  condition  that  she  should  preserve  her 
virginity  untouched. 

III.  It  was  this  virgin,  so  humble  and  so  pure,  whom  God  chose 
to  become  the  mother  of  His  only  Son.  When  the  time  fixed  by 
His  wisdom  had  arrived.  He  sent  to  her  the  archangel  Gabriel  who 
announced  to  her  the  following  consoling  and  beautiful  words :  Hail, 
full  of  grace,  the  Lord  is  with  thee;  blessed  art  thou  among  -women 
(Luke  I.  28).  Mary,  who  did  not  know  whence  such  a  salutation 
could  come,  was  greatly  troubled  and  alarmed  at  the  words  of  praise 
which  the  angel  of  the  Lord  spoke  to  her.  Fear  not,  continued  the 
heavenly  messenger,  ybr  thou  hast  found  grace  with  God.  Behold 
thou  shall  conceive  in  thy  womb,  and  s  halt  bring  forth  a  son,  and  thou 
shall  call  his  name  fesus.  He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be  called  the 
Son  of  the  Most  High.  And  the  Lord  shall  give  unto  Him.  the  throne 
of  David,  His  father,  and  He  shall  reign  in  the  house  of  Jacob  for- 
ever.    And  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be   no  end  (Luke  i.  30-33). 

What  a  magnificent  promise !  To  conceive  and  bring  forth  the 
Son  of  God,  and  thus  to  become  the  mother  of  the  Redeemer  of  man- 
kind !  Was  there  ever  a  greater  honor,  was  there  ever  a  privilege 
comparable  to  this? 

But  Mary  remembers  that  she  has  made  a  vow  of  virginity ;  and 
for  all  the  treasures  of  the  world,  she  would  not  renounce  this  pre- 
cious virtue.  She  asks  the  angel  how  this  could  happen,  how  this 
promise  could  be  fulfilled  :  How  shall  this  be  done,  because  I  know  not 
man?  (Luke  i.  34.)  And  the  angel  answered  that  God  is  above 
the  laws  of  nature,  that  He  changes  them  whenever  He  pleases,  that 
the  Holy  Ghost  would  come  upon  her,  that  the  power  of  the  Most 
High  would  overshadow  her,  and  that  she  would  conceive  and  bring 
forth  a  son  without  losing  her  virginity,  because  no  word  shall  be 
impossible  with  God  (Luke  i.  37).  Once  assured  of  becoming  the 
mother  of  God  without  ceasing  to  be  a  virgin,  she  submits  her  will, 
and  answers  :  Behold  the  handmaid  of  the  Lord;  be  it  done  unto  me 
according  to  thy  word  (Luke  i.  38).  And  at  the  same  instant  the 
great  mystery  of  the  Incarnation  was  accomplished.  The  Almighty 
power  of  the  Most  High  overshadowed  Mary ;  the  Holy  Ghost  formed 
in  her  womb  a  human  body  to  which  He  joins  a  human  soul.     The 


ON   THE   MYSTERY   OF   THE    INCARNATION  ^o 

Son  of  God  came  down  from  heaven  to  unite  Himself  with  this  body 
and  soul,  just  as  a  sun-ray  that  descends  upon  earth  without  becom- 
ing detached  from  the  sun.  Thus  was  realized  the  ineffable  union 
of  human  nature  with  divine  nature  in  the  bosom  of  the  purest  of 
virgins. 

IV.  How  astonishing  and  wonderful  are  the  prerogatives  of  Mary 
in  this  mystery!  She  conceives  and  brings  forth  Jesus  Christ,  she  be- 
comes really  and  incontestably  His  mother.  But  if  Mary  is  the  mother 
of  Jesus  Christ,  what  follows  from  this?  It  follows  that  she  became 
the  Mother  of  God.  Of  course  we  do  not  mean  to  say  that  Mary 
brought  forth  the  divinity,  for  that  would  be  absurd ;  but  since  in 
Jesus  Christ  the  divine  nature  is  inseparable  from  the  human  nature, 
and  since  there  is  only  one  Person  in  Him,  namely,  the  divine  Per- 
son, we  can  say  with  truth  that  Mary  is  the  Mother  of  God.  It  is 
thus  that  we  call  a  woman  the  mother  of  her  son,  although  she  begot 
only  his  body  and  contributed  nothing  towards  the  formation  of  his 
soul. 

The  Church  has  always  honored  and  invoked  Mary  as  the  Mother 
of  God.  In  the  first  centuries  of  the  Church,  an  impious  man,  named 
Nestorius,  dared  to  deny  to  Mary  this  beautiful  privilege.  But  a 
General  Council  was  held  at  Ephesus ;  the  honor  of  Mary  ^vas  vindi- 
cated, and  the  title  of  Mother  of  God  was  definitely  attributed  to  her 
by  a  most  solemn  decision  and  amidst  the  applause  of  the  Catholic 
world.  Nestorius  was  anathematized  and  exiled  to  Africa  where  he 
was  attacked  by  an  ugly  disease  and  died  in  misery  and  contempt. 
Whilst  still  alive  his  body  began  to  putrefy,  and  his  tongue,  eaten  by 
worms,  fell  off  in  pieces  —  a  just  chastisement  for  the  blasphemies 
which  he   had  uttered  against  the  Mother  of  God, 

What  an  honor  for  a  mere  creature  to  be  raised  to  the  dignity  of 
mother  of  God!  Can  we  imagine  anything  greater,  more  wonderful, 
and  more  sublime!  What  is  the  glory  of  all  the  angels  and  of  all  the 
saints  together,  when  compared  with  the  glory  of  Mary! 

V.  Another  wonderful  prerogative  of  Mary  is  her  virginity.  Al- 
though she  conceived  and  brought  forth  Jesus  Christ,  she  never  ceased 
to  be  a  virgin.  She  was  a  virgin  before  childbirth,  during  child- 
birth, and  after  childbirth.  The  prophet  Isaias  had  foretold  this  :  Be- 
hold a  virgin  shall  conceive  (Is.  i.  34).  When  Joseph,  on  his  part, 
perceived  that  Mary,  his  spouse,  was  with  child,  he  was  troubled  and 
resolved  to  leave  her  privately ;  but  the  angel  of  the  Lord  quieted  him 

4 


5° 


FIRST  PART.      IX.    INSTRUCTION 


by  telling  him  that  the  One  who  was  to  be  born  of  her  was  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  that,  consequently,  his  spouse  was  a  virgin. 
Mary  was  a  virgin  before  childbirth  and  she  was  also  a  virgin  during 
childbirth.  The  divine  Son  of  Justice  went  forth  from  the  bosom  of 
His  mother  like  the  flower  which  rises  from  a  plant  without  damag- 
ing it,  like  the  water  which  flows  from  its  source  without  polluting 
it,  like  the  light  which  penetrates  glass  without  breaking  it.  The 
prophet  had  foretold  this  when  he  announced  that  not  only  should  the 
virgin  conceive,  but  should  also  bring  forth  :  Behold  the  virgin  shall 
conceive  and  bear  a  son  (Is.  vii,  14).  Mary  remained  a  virgin  after 
childbirth.  Could  it  have  been  possible  that  the  bosom  of  Mary, 
sanctified  by  so  many  wonders,  could  be  profaned  by  any  creature? 
The  title  of  Virgin  has  always  been  attributed  to  her,  without  restric- 
tion of  time  or  circumstance;  and  the  Church  has  always  condemned 
those  who  dared  to  deny  her  glorious  prerogative  of  perpetual  vir- 
ginity. 

How  great,  then,  should  be  our  respect,  love,  and  confidence  towards 
Mary!  Was  there  ever  a  holier,  purer,  and  more  perfect  creature? 
She  would  have  most  willingly  sacrificed  the  title  of  Mother  of  God, 
if  she  could  not  have  acquired  it  without  losing  her  virginity.  Was 
there  ever  a  creature  enriched  with  so  many  graces,  raised  to  so  high 
a  rank?  She  was  honored  with  the  incomparable  dignity  of  Mother 
of  God,  she  was  destined  to  become  also  one  day  our  mother,  and  to 
cooperate  in  the  work  of  our  salvation  just  as  Eve,  the  first  woman, 
cooperated  in  the  work  of  our  destruction.  O  Mary,  be  thou  therefore 
forever  bleSvSed  !  And  perish  our  entire  being  if  thou  art  not  ever 
after  God,  the  object  of  our  respect,  confidence,  and  love  ! 

VI.  Mary  is  the  mother  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  we  have  explained ;  is 
St.  Joseph,  the  spouse  of  Mary,  also  His  father?  No,  my  brethren, 
Jesus  Christ  as  man  has  no  father,  and  as  God  He  has  no  mother, 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  real  Melchisedech.  As  God  He  has  a  father  but 
no  mother,  and  as  man  He  has  a  mother  but  no  father.  It  was  the 
Holy  Ghost  who,  through  His  almighty  power  and  without  the  inter- 
vention of  any  man,  created  a  body  for  the  Son  of  God  in  the  chaste 
womb  of  Mary,  St.  Joseph  was  only  the  guardian  and  foster  father 
of  Jesus  Christ,  charged  by  Providence  to  watch  over  His  first  years 
and  to  provide  for  His  wants.  If  Jesus  Christ  calls  Himself  sometimes 
Son  of  man ^  it  is  only  to  teach  us  that  He  is  really  man,  and  in  allusion 
to  a  passage  of  Daniel  (vii.  13),  where  it  is  related  that  in  a  vision^ 


BIRTH   OF  JESUS   CHRIST 


51 


the  Messiah  appeared  to  the  prophet  as  Son  of  man,  that  is  under  the 
form  of  a  man.  So,  also,  when  the  Scripture  sometimes  calls  St. 
Joseph  the  father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  is  only  because  He  was 
the  spouse  of  His  holy  mother,  and  because  he  always  had  for  Jesus 
the  affection  and  the  solicitude  which  a  good  father  has  for  his  son. 

But  we  should  not  honor  any  less  the  chaste  spouse  of  the  purest 
of  virgins.  After  Mary  there  is  no  saint  in  heaven  who  merits  more 
our  confidence  and  love.  He  was  the  head  of  the  holiest  family  that 
ever  lived  in  the  world ;  he  carried  the  infant  Jesus  in  his  arms ;  he 
was,  for  many  years,  the  faithful  companion  and  the  trustworthy 
friend  of  Mary,  his  august  spouse.  What  a  power  must  he  not  pos- 
sess in  heaven  with  Jesus  and  with  Mary  !  Let  us  invoke  him  often 
with  confidence,  and  let  us  have  for  him  the  most  ardent  devotion. 
St.  Theresa  says  that  she  never  asked  for  any  favor  through  his  inter- 
cession w^hich  she  did  not  obtain.  Let  us  always  try  to  imitate  his 
virtues,  particularly  his  chastity  and  humility  :  his  chastity,  because 
he  always  remained  a  virgin  ;  his  humility,  because  he  never  desired 
to  leave  the  obscurity  of  his  humble  profession.  He  concealed  his 
grandeur  and  appeared  in  the  eyes  of  men  only  as  a  mere  workman. 
By  walking  in  his  footsteps,  and  by  often  imploring  his  holy  protec- 
tion, we  shall  merit  one  day  to  share  in  his  glory  and  happiness 
in  heaven.     Amen. 


X.  INSTRUCTION 

Third  Article   of  the  Creed   ( Confd) 

Birth  of  Jesus  Christ 

I.  Nine  months  had  elapsed  since  the  archangel  Gabriel  announced 
to  Mary  that  she  would  conceive  and  bring  forth  the  Saviour,  when 
the  Emperor  Augustus,  desiring  to  know  the  number  of  his  subjects, 
ordered  a  general  census  to  be  made,  and  obliged  each  one  to  be 
inscribed  in  the  place  of  his  origin.  To  obey  this  edict,  the  Blessed 
Virgin  and  St.  Joseph,  being  of  the  race  of  David,  went  to  Beth- 
lehem, the  cradle  of  the  royal  family  of   David.      It  was  thus  that 


52 


FIRST   PART.      X.    INSTRUCTION 


God  disposed  political  events  for  the  fulfillment  of  Scripture.  It  had 
been  foretold  that  Bethlehem  of  the  tribe  of  Juda  would  be  the  place 
where  the  Messiah  should  be  born.  In  Bethlehem  was  born  the  Son 
of  God,  the  expected  of  the  nations  during  thousands  of  years,  the 
One  longed  for  by  the  patriarchs  and  prophets. 

When  Mary  and  Joseph  arrived  at  Bethlehem,  the  city  was  so 
crowded  with  strangers  that  they  could  not  find  a  place  in  the  inns. 
Mary  and  Joseph  being  poor,  they  were  disregarded  by  everybody, 
and  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  procure  any  other  asylum  but  a 
stable.  It  was  in  this  miserable  place  that  Mary  brought  forth  the 
Saviour  of  the  world,  and  laid  Him  in  a  manger. 

Let  us  listen  to  the  teaching  and  wonderful  lessons  which  Jesus 
gives  us  from  the  crib  of  Bethlehem.  Why  did  he  wish  to  be  born 
in  such  a  sad  and  poor  state,  He  the  King  of  kings,  the  Lord  and 
Master  of  heaven  and  earth.?  Undoubtedly,  He  could  have  been 
born  in  a  magnificent  palace.  He  could  have  had  around  His  cradle  all 
the  splendors  of  earthly  kings.  But,  no!  He  not  only  came  to  save 
man,  but  also  to  show  him  the  way  to  heaven.  He  desired  to  teach 
him  by  His  example  the  practice  of  the  great  virtues  which  constitute 
in  themselves  alone  the  substance  of  all  Christian  life ;  humility,  mor- 
tification, and  the  contempt  of  riches.  This  divine  Master  knew  that 
man  is  naturally  subject  to  three  vices  w^hich  are  the  cause  of  all  his 
disorders  :  pride,  sensuality,  and  avarice.  And  in  order  to  weaken 
or  to  destroy  them  in  our  souls,  by  giving  to  us  the  example  of  the 
contrary  virtues.  He  wishes  to  be  born  of  a  poor  mother,  in  a  place  so 
little  worthy  of  His  infinite  grandeur,  and  in  a  state  of  misery  and 
suffering.  O,  you  lovers  of  the  world,  you  who  sigh  for  riches, 
honors,  and  pleasures,  kneel  at  the  crib  of  Jesus,  and  there  you  will 
learn  what  to  think  of  the  world  and  its  pomps.  Do  not  think 
yourselves  His  disciples,  do  not  expect  to  have  a  share  of  the 
reward  which  He  has  promised,  if  you  walk  in  a  path  so  different 
from  that  which  He  has  trod  during  the  whole  of  His  mortal 
life. 

II.  It  was  on  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  December,  at  the  early  mid- 
night hour,  that  the  Saviour  came  into  the  \vorld.  This  blessed  and 
glorious  day  we  call  Christmas.  To  commemorate  this  event,  the 
Church  has  instituted  that  solemnity,  beautiful  among  all  other  solem- 
nities, the  midnight  office.  On  this  day  priests  offer  the  holy  sacrifice 
of  the  Mass  three  times,  in  order  to  honor  the  threefold  birth  of  Jesus 


BIRTH   OF  JESUS   CHRIST  ^^ 

Christ:  ist.  That  by  which  He  proceeds  from  His  Father  from  all 
eternity ;  2d.  That  by  which  He  was  bom  in  time  from  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary ;  3d.  That  which  makes  Him  to  be  born  spiritually  in 
our  soul  by  faith  and  charity,  and,  sacramentally,  by  the  Blessed  Eucha- 
rist. From  this  glorious  epoch  dates  the  Christian  era;  so  that  when 
we  say  that  we  are  in  the  year  1898,  we  mean  that  it  is  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  ninety-eight  years  since  the  birth  of  Christ. 

HI.  There  were  at  that  time,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Bethlehem, 
shepherds  who  passed  the  night  in  the  fields,  watching  their  flocks. 
As  it  is  especially  to  the  simple  and  humble  souls  that  the  Lord  loves 
to  communicate  Himself,  these  poor  shepherds  were  the  first  ones  the 
Saviour  called  to  His  manger.  He  sent  to  them  an  angel  who  said  to 
them  :  Fear  not^  for  behold  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy  that 
shall  be  to  all  the  people.  For  this  day  is  born  to  you  a  Saviour  who 
is  Christ  the  Lord,  in  the  city  of  David.  A  fid  this  shall  be  a  sign 
unto  you.  You  shall  fnd  the  infant  wrapped  in  swaddlifig  clothes, 
and  laid  in  a  manger  (Luke  11.  10-12).  When  the  angel  had  an- 
nounced these  tidings  a  great  number  of  other  heavenly  spirits  chanted 
that  beautiful  canticle  which  we  still  recite  every  day  at  Mass  :  Gloria 
in  excelsis  Deo  (Luke  11.  14).  The  shepherds,  enraptured  by  such 
wonders,  said  to  one  another :  Let  us  go  over  to  Bethlehem,  and  let  us 
see  this  word  that  is  come  to  pass  (Luke  11.  15).  And  having  found 
the  child  lying  in  a  manger,  as  the  angel  had  announced,  they  did  not 
doubt  that  it  was  their  Saviour  and  God,  and  far  from  taking  offense 
at  the  lowliness  in  which  He  wished  to  be  bom,  as  perhaps  more  than 
one  among  us  would  have  done,  they  knelt  down  before  their  God, 
offered  Him  their  homage,  and  went  away  publishing  everywhere  the 
wonderful  news. 

Who  among  us  here,  my  brethren,  does  not  envy  the  lot  of  these 
poor  shepherds?  Who  would  not  consider  himself  fortunate,  if  he 
could  visit  the  grotto  of  Bethlehem  where  these  wonders  were  accom- 
plished? Ah!  my  brethren,  we  need  not  envy  these  happy  shepherds, 
the  witnesses  of  the  birth  of  the  Saviour.  We  have  a  new  Bethlehem 
among  us,  and  every  day  the  same  God,  the  same  Saviour,  comes  down 
to  be  born  again  upon  our  altars.  Come,  therefore,  from  time  to 
time,  to  render  to  Him  your  homage.  Come  to  Him  to  seek  light  and 
strength.  Come  to  implore  the  graces  of  which  you  are  in  need. 
Especially  on  the  night  of  Christmas,  when  we  celebrate  the  anniver- 
sary of  the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ  among  men,  do  not   hesitate  ta 


54  FIRST   PART.      X.    INSTRUCTION 

interrupt  your  sleep,  to  leave  your  house,  and  even  to  brave,  if  neces- 
sary, the  rigors  of  the  season,  to  hasten,  as  these  pious  shepherds 
did,  to  the  cradle  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  honor,  by  your  presence,  the 
mystical  birth  of  our  divine  Master,  and  to  pray  to  Him  to  come  and 
be  born  also  in  your  hearts. 

IV.  The  child  Jesus  did  not  w^ish  to  call  only  the  poor  to  His 
manger.  He  also  called  the  powerful  and  the  rich ;  not  only  the  peo- 
ple of  Israel,  but  all  men  and  all  nations.  At  the  very  time  when  the 
angels  announced  the  great  news  to  the  shepherds  of  Bethlehem,  a 
wonderful  star  appeared  to  the  Magi.  Who  were  these  Magi?  They 
were  princes  or  philosophers  from  the  East  who  professed  the  pagan 
religion.  The  prophet  Balaam  had  foretold  that  a  new  star  would 
announce  the  birth  of  a  great  King  who  would  rule  over  the  whole 
earth.  Hardly  had  they  noticed  that  extraordinary  star,  when,  en- 
lightened interiorly  and  moved  by  the  inspiration  of  grace,  they  set 
out  to  seek  that  Child-King  to  pay  Him  their  homage.  The  star 
went  before  them  and  led  them  first  to  Jerusalem;  but  there,  as  if  to 
try  their  faith,  it  disappeared.  What  did  the  Magi  do?  They  went, 
directly  to  the  court  of  Herod,  and,  without  fear  or  human  respect, 
they  asked  him  where  the  King  of  the  Jews  was  to  be  born.  Herod, 
having  consulted  the  priests  and  doctors  of  the  Law,  answered  them 
that  it  was  at  Bethlehem  where  He  must  be  born  ;  and  he  begged 
them,  that  when  they  had  found  Him  to  come  back  and  let  him  know, 
in  order  that  he  also  might  go  and  adore  Him.  Miserable  hypocrisy! 
This  ambitious  and  cruel  prince  only  desired  to  find  the  child  in  order 
to  kill  it;  he  was  afraid  that  the  new  King  might  rob  him  of  the 
throne  he  had  usurped.  The  Magi,  learning  what  they  desired  to 
know,  hastened  on  their  journey ;  and  behold!  on  leaving  the  city, 
the  star  appeared  again  to  them,  and  led  them  to  Bethlehem.  But 
here  a  new  trial  arose !  Undoubtedly,  they  expected  to  find  the  new 
King  in  a  magnificent  palace,  amidst  gold  and  silver,  and  surrounded 
by  a  brilliant  court ;  and  they  see  only  a  stable,  a  manger,  and  a  child 
wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes.  But  their  faith  was  enlightened,  and 
they  recognized  in  this  child  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  Kneeling  be- 
fore the  manger,  they  offered  gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh,  symbols 
of  royalty,  divinity,  and  humanity ;  royalty  by  the  gold,  divinity  by 
the  frankincense,  and  humanity  by  the  myrrh.  Then  admonished  in 
a  dream  not  to  return  to  Herod,  they  went  back  into  their  own  coun- 
try by  another  road. 


BIRTH   OF  JESUS  CHRIST  gj 

What  beautiful  examples  do  we  find  in  the  conduct  of  the  Magi! 
What  an  obedience,  and  what  an  eagerness  to  follow  the  star  that 
called  them  to  Bethlehem!  Hardly  had  they  perceived  it  when,  with- 
out hesitating  a  moment,  they  left  their  homes  and  families,  and  ex- 
posed themselves  to  the  fatigues  of  a  long  journey  :  We  have  seen  his 
star  in  the  East,  and  are  come  to  adore  him  (Matt,  ii.  2),  Let  us, 
like  them,  be  faithful  to  the  voice  of  grace  when  it  calls  us  to  the 
practice  of  virtue.  Far  from  listening  to  our  passions  or  to  the  max- 
ims of  the  world,  we  must  say  like  the  Magi :  We  have  seen  the  light 
of  grace,  we  have  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  and  we  come  to  rank 
ourselves  under  His  laws.  But,  alas  !  is  such  our  language  and  our 
conduct?  You,  especially,  sinners,  who  have  so  long  resisted  grace, 
are  you  not  afraid  that  God  will  abandon  you  to  the  blindness  of  your 
mind  and  to  the  hardness  of  your  heart?  The  Magi,  abandoned  by 
the  star,  were  not  afraid  to  go  and  see  Herod,  the  cruel  king,  even  at 
the  peril  of  their  liberty  and  life.  Do  we  brave  the  criticism  of  im- 
pious men,  do  we  defy  human  respect,  and  practice  our  duties  as 
Christians,  no  matter  how  difficult  it  is  to  do  so?  The  Magi  offer  to 
the  child  Jesus  gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh ;  such  are  the  presents 
which  he  requires  from  us  also  :  gold,  the  affections  of  our  heart ; 
frankincense,  the  fervor  of  our  prayers ;  and  myrrh,  the  works  of 
penance. 

Such  is  the  story  of  the  Gospel  and  the  vocation  of  the  Magi  to 
faith.  It  is  generally  believed  that  it  was  on  the  thirteenth  day  after 
the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ  that  they  arrived  at  Bethlehem.  This  is 
why  the  Church  celebrates  the  feast  of  Epiphany,  which  signifies 
manifestation.  This  feast  is  so  called,  because  on  this  great  day  God 
manifested  His  glory  to  the  nations,  and  has  called  all  nations  in  the 
person  of  the  Magi  to  the  light  of  the  Gospel.  Epiphany,  therefore, 
is  the  anniversary  of  our  vocation  to  Christianity.  And  as  this  is  one 
of  the  greatest  benefits  which  the  Lord  has  granted  us,  one  cannot 
exhort  you  enough  to  pass  this  day  in  sentiments  of  the  most  lively 
gratitude  and  of  the  most  tender  piety.     Amen. 


^6  FIRST   PART.      XI.    INSTRUCTION 

XI.  INSTRUCTION 

Third  Article  of  the  Creed   (  Confd) 

Childhood  of  Jesus  Christ.     His  Hidden  Life 

I.  Eight  days  after  His  birth,  the  child  Jesus  was  circumcised. 
Circumcision  was  a  ceremony  of  the  Old  Law  which  God  had 
ordained  as  a  sign  of  the  Covenant  which  he  had  made  with  Abra- 
ham, and  as  a  distinctive  mark  of  His  people  among  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth.  This  precept  affected  only  the  male  children,  and 
although  probably  it  had  not  the  proper  effect  of  effacing  original 
sin,  nevertheless  the  circumcised  person  confessed  himself  guilty,  and 
professed  his  belief  in  the  Redeemer  to  come.  Our  Saviour  was  not 
bound  at  all  to  submit  to  this  painful  and  humiliating  law;  but  He 
wished  to  teach  us  by  His  example:  ist.  To  obey  faithfully  and  punc- 
tually all  the  commandments  of  God  and  of  the  Church ;  2d.  To 
humble  ourselves  at  the  sight  of  the  miseries  with  which  we  are  filled, 
and  generously  to  support  all  the  pains  and  afflictions  that  befall  us ; 
3d.  To  circumcise  ourselves  by  rooting  out  from  our  heart  all  the  vices 
to  which  it  might  be  subject,  and  by  chastising  our  bodies  through 
the  practice  of  mortification  and  penance. 

The  Church  makes  commemoration  of  the  circumcision  of  our  Lord 
on  the  first  day  of  the  year.  On  this  holy  day,  we  should  offer  to 
God  the  new  year,  and  pray  to  Him  to  pardon  the  faults  which  we 
have  committed  within  the  year  that  just  closed.  The  beginning 
of  the  new  year  should  inspire  us  with  reflections,  on  the  rapidity 
of  time,  and  the  approach  of  death  and  eternity.  I  am  here  to-day, 
the  faithful  Christian  says  to  himself,  but  where  shall  I  be  to-morrow? 
How  many  who  on  last  New  Year's  day  were  as  young  as  I  am  now, 
and  were  in  as  flourishing  health  as  I  am  to-day,  are  gone  forever! 
If  I  were  sure  that  this  would  be  the  last  year  of  my  life,  how  would 
I  spend  it? 

II.  On  the  day  of  Circumcision  the  name  Jesus  was  given  to  the 
divine  Redeemer,  conformably  to  the  order  which  the  archangel 
Gabriel  had  given  to  Mary  and  Joseph  :  Thou  shall  call  His  name 
ycsus  (Matt.  I.  21).  But  what  does  the  name  Jesus  signify?  It 
signifies  Saviour;  and  how  worthy  is  it  of  our  respect  and  love?      Of 


INFANCY   OF  JESUS  CHRIST.      HIS  HIDDEN    LIFE  ^y 

our  respect^  because  it  has  come  from  heaven,  and  because  it  was  in 
virtue  of  this  holy  name  that  we  all  have  been  saved ;  of  our  confi- 
dence, because  our  Lord  Himself  has  declared  that  all  we  ask  of  His 
Father  in  His  name,  will  be  given  to  us  :  Whatsoever  you  shall  ask 
the  Father  in  my  name,  that  -will  I  do  (John  xiv.  13)  ;  ^  our  love, 
because  it  reminds  us  of  the  immense  love  of  a  God  towards  men,  and 
of  all  He  has  done  for  our  salvation.  The  apostle  St.  Paul  says  that 
the  name  of  fesus  is  above  all  names;  that  in  this  name  every  knee 
should  bow,  of  those  that  are  in  heaven,  on  earth,  and  under  the  earth 
(Phil.  II.  10).  And,  indeed,  what  can  be  compared  to  the  name  that 
has  reconciled  heaven  and  earth,  worked  so  many  wonders,  and  which 
is  still  the  greatest  terrors  of  the  demons?  The  saints  had  always 
the  most  tender  piety  towards  the  holy  name  of  Jesus.  St.  Bernard 
assures  us  that  he  found  joy  and  sweetness  in  this  holy  and  adorable 
name  alone,  and  that  books  and  conversations  were  insipid  to  him  if 
he  did  not  read  or  hear  the  holy  name  of  Jesus.  Jesus,  he  added,  is 
honey  to  the  lips,  a  melody  to  the  ear,  and  a  joy  to  my  heart.  We 
read  in  the  life  of  St.  Ignatius,  Martyr,  that  after  his  death,  they 
found  the  name  of  Jesus  engraved  upon  his  breast  in  letters  of  gold. 
Let  us  imitate  such  beautiful  examples,  let  us  often  invoke  the  holy 
name  of  Jesus ;  but  always  with  sentiments  of  the  most  tender  devo- 
tion. The  Church,  in  order  to  render  to  this  sacred  name  the  honor  it 
merits,  grants  an  indulgence  of  twenty  days  to  every  one  who  bows 
his  head  whenever  the  name  of  Jesus  is  pronounced. 

The  name  of  Christ  signifies  **  anointed."  The  Saviour  is  so 
called  on  account  of  his  threefold  quality  of  king,  prophet,  and 
priest,  for  in  ancient  times  kings,  prophets,  and  priests  were 
anointed.  Jesus  is  king,  because  He  reigns  and  will  reign  eter- 
nally over  all  souls;  He  is  prophet,  because  nothing  is  hidden  from 
Him,  and  He  knows  the  future  as  well  as  the  past ;  He  is  priest,  be- 
cause after  having  immolated  Himself  on  calvary  He  offers  Himself 
every  day  upon  our  altars  in  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 

HI.  Besides  the  law  of  Circumcision,  there  was  another  which 
obliged  women  to  present  themselves  in  the  Temple  forty  days  after 
childbirth  for  a  male  child,  and  eighty  days  for  a  female  child,  in 
order  to  be  purified  and  offer  to  God,  through  the  hands  of  the  priest, 
their  new-bom  child.  They  could  redeem  the  child  by  offering  a 
lamb  and  a  turtle-dove,  or  only  two  turtle-doves,  if  on  account  of  their 
poverty  they  could  not  offer  a  lamb.     The  Blessed  Virgin  submitted 


58 


FIRST   PART.      XI.    INSTRUCTION 


herself  to  this  law,  although  she  was  not  obliged  to  do  so.  She  sub- 
mitted herself:  ist.  Through  a  spirit  of  humility,  not  wishing  to  dis- 
tinguish herself  in  anything  from  the  other  women,  although  she  had 
not  contracted  any  stain  in  her  childbirth ;  2d.  Through  a  spirit  of 
obedience  to  the  law;  3d.  Through  a  spirit  of  piety,  wishing  to  testify 
to  God  the  respect  which  she  had  for  His  holy  temple,  and  to  show  to 
the  Christian  mothers  that  after  her  example  they  should  never  re- 
enter the  church,  after  childbirth,  without  having  been  purified 
through  the  blessing  of  the  priest.  Hence  the  ceremony  of  churching 
of  women  after  childbirth,  so  ancient  and  so  respectable,  still  generally 
practiced  in  the  Church. 

The  child  Jesus,  by  wishing  to  be  presented  in  the  Temple  forty 
day  after  His  birth,  like  other  children,  gives  us  also  very  important 
lessons.  He  teaches  parents  that  they  cannot  be  too  prompt  in  conse- 
crating their  children  to  the  Lord,  in  order  that  He  may  bless  them 
and  that  He  may  remain  their  sole  master,  a  consecration  which  they 
should  often  renew  in  the  course  of  life.  Moreover,  He  teaches  chil- 
dren to  give  themselves  to  God  from  their  most  tender  youth. 

IV.  A  third  circumstance  which  the  Gospel  makes  known  to  us 
about  the  childhood  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  flight  into  Egypt.  Herod 
had  asked  the  Magi  to  return  to  Jerusalem  to  inform  him  of  the  place 
where  the  new-born  King  of  the  Jews  was  to  be  found,  saying  that 
he  also  wished  to  go  and  adore  Him.  But  the  Magi,  being  ad- 
monished in  a  dream  of  the  evil  designs  of  Herod,  returned  home  by 
another  way.  Herod,  seeing  that  the  Magi  did  not  return,  and  afraid 
that  this  new-born  King  would  rob  him  one  day  of  his  kingdom, 
ordered  at  Bethlehem,  and  in  the  surrounding  country,  a  general 
massacre  of  all  the  children  below  the  age  of  two  years,  a  fearful 
example  of  the  excesses  to  which  ambition  can  lead.  But  Joseph, 
instructed  by  an  angel  from  heaven,  led  the  child  Jesus  and  His 
mother  into  Egypt.  When  Herod  was  dead  and  there  was  nothing 
more  to  fear,  they  returned  to  Judea.  The  Church  ranks  those  slaugh- 
tered children  as  martyrs,  and  she  honors  their  memory  on  the  feast 
of  the  Holy  Innocents,  which  is  celebrated  on  the  third  day  after 
Christmas. 

V.  The  last  circumstance  in  the  childhood  of  Jesus,  is  His  journey 
to  Jerusalem  at  the  age  of  twelve  years.  The  Blessed  Virgin  and  St. 
Joseph  went,  according  to  the  law,  to  celebrate  the  feast  of  the  Pasch 
in  Jerusalemi,  and  they  took  the  child  Jesus  with  them.      After  fulfill- 


INFANCY  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.      HIS  HIDDEN   LIFE  .g 

mg  this  religious  duty,  they  started  for  their  home  at  Nazareth;  but 
they  found  themselves  surrounded  by  an  immense  number  that  had 
come  for  the  same  motive,  and,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  coun- 
try, the  men  and  the  women  traveled  in  separate  groups.  Neither 
Mary  nor  Joseph  remarked  that  the  child  Jesus  was  missing,  each 
thinking  He  was  with  the  other,  but  at  the  end  of  a  day's  journey 
they  looked  for  Him  in  vain.  Hastening  back  to  Jerusalem,  they 
found  Him  after  a  search  of  three  days.  God  had  permitted  the  child 
to  be  left  alone  in  Jerusalem  in  order  that  He  might  commence  to 
manifest  Himself  to  men.  Mary  and  Joseph  found  Jesus  in  the 
Temple,  in  the  midst  of  the  Doctors  of  the  Law,  listening  to  them, 
asking  them  questions,  and  confounding  them  by  the  wisdom  of  His 
answers.  When  His  mother  seemed  to  reproach  Him  because  He 
had  thus  concealed  Himself,  He  said  to  her  :  /foTV  is  it  that  you  sought 
me  ?  Did  you  not  know  that  I  must  be  about  my  father''  s  business  ? 
(Luke  II.  49.)  He  thus  wished  to  teach  us,  even  from  His  child- 
hood, that  He  had  come  upon  earth  only  to  labor  for  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  salvation  of  souls. 

VI.  From  the  age  of  twelve  years  until  the  age  of  thirty,  all  that 
the  Gospel  says  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  that  He  advanced  in  wisdom^  and 
age,  and  grace  with  God  and  men  (Luke  11.  52),  and  that  having  re- 
tired to  Nazareth  with  His  Blessed  Mother  and  St.  Joseph,  He  was 
subject  to  them  (Luke  11.  31).  He  advanced  in  age,  that  is.  His  body 
became  stronger  in  the  course  of  years,  as  with  other  children  ;  He 
advanced  in  wisdom,  that  is,  wisdom  manifested  itself  more  and  more 
as  He  advanced  in  age,  just  as  the  sun  which,  although  always 
equally  luminous  in  itself,  shines  with  greater  brightness  to  our  eyes, 
in  the  proportion  as  it  rises  more  and  more  above  the  horizon. 

It  is  in  this  manner,  my  brethren,  that  children,  when  they  have 
attained  the  age  of  reason,  should  seek  to  grow  in  wisdom  and  virtue. 
It  is  thus  they  should  render  themselves  more  and  more  agteeable  in 
the  eyes  of  God,  by  forming  themselves  to  the  duties  of  the  Christian 
life.  But  is  this  what  is  generally  done.-*  Is  it  thus  we  have  acted 
ourselves?  Alas!  how  many  years  of  childhood  and  youth  have  been 
only  years  of  discord  and  dissipation.''  How  many,  young  in  years, 
are  already  old  in  vice?  O  children  who  hear  me,  if  you  are  still  so 
happy  as  to  have  preserved  the  grace  of  innocence,  pray  to  the  child 
Jesus  to  grant  that  you  may  always  walk  in  His  footsteps!  And 
you  sinners,  of   whatever  age  you   may  be,  you   who  have  had  the 


6o  FIRST   PART.      XII.   INSTRUCTION 

misfortune  to  abandon  the  ways  of  virtue,  implore  your  infant  Sav- 
iour to  lead  you  back  and  to  help  you  to  remain  faithful  until  the  end. 
Jesus  Christ  passed  the  first  thirty  years  of  His  life  near  the 
Blessed  Virgin  and  St.  Joseph,  and,  says  the  Gospel,  He  -was  subject 
to  them.  What  a  source  of  instruction  and  edification  for  us!  Jesus 
Christ  was  always  subject  and  obedient  to  Mary  and  Joseph,  to  two 
of  His  own  creatures,  and  He  was  their  master,  their  sovereign,  and 
their  God!  And  in  what  was  He  subject  to  them.?  In  all  things, 
even  the  lowest  and  most  painful.  He  labored  with  Joseph  and 
Mary,  and  occupied  Himself  with  the  humble  cares  of  the  household. 
He  obeyed  His  parents  with  the  most  perfect  exactitude  and  punc- 
tuality. He  obeyed  thus  until  He  was  thirty  years  old  ;  and  until 
that  age  He  wished  to  remain  ignored  by  all  and  unknown  to  the 
world.  Can  anyone  conceive  a  modesty  more  perfect,  a  humility 
more  profound?  O,  you  who  love  the  world  so  much,  and  who 
desire  to  appear  among  men,  come  to  the  school  of  Jesus!  You 
who  seek  to  distinguish  yourselves  among  others  by  your  knowledge, 
or  your  rank,  or  the  richness  of  your  dress,  come  to  the  school  of 
Jesus,  of  Jesus  the  artisan,  of  Jesus  the  poor,  of  Jesus  the  unknown 
and  forgotten !  But  you  especially,  disobedient  and  unruly  children, 
who  will  not  obey  your  father,  or  mother,  or  your  superiors,  come 
and  learn  from  Jesus  Christ!  Ah!  my  brethren,  how  many  Chris- 
tians are  there  whose  life  is  condemned  by  the  humble  life  of  Jesus ! 
My  brethren,  if,  in  the  past,  we  have  not  practiced  the  virtues  of 
obedience,  humility,  and  contempt  for  the  vanities  of  this  world, 
let  us  humbly  ask  pardon  of  God,  and  let  us  to-day  take  the  resolu- 
tion to  be  more  faithful  to  the  lessons  and  examples  of  our  Divine 
Master.     Amen. 


Xn.  INSTRUCTION 
The    Third    Article    of    the    Creed   ( Concluded) 

Public  Life  of  Jesus  Christ 

At  the  age  of  thirty  years  our  Saviour  commenced  His  public  life. 
It   was  opened  with  His  baptism   by  St.   John  and  the  fast  in  the 


PUBLIC   LIFE   OF  JESUS  CHRIST  6 1 

desert,  and  was  continued  by  preaching,  the  working  of  miracles,  and 
the  practice  of  the  highest  virtues.  These  are  the  points  which  will 
form  the  subject  of  this  important  instruction. 

I.  St.  John  the  Baptist,  the  precursor  of  Jesus  Christ,  had  been 
preaching  penance  to  men,  and  administering  the  baptism  of  water, 
to  prepare  them  for  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  whom  he  declared  to 
be  already  among  men,  and  whose  power  and  dignity  were  so  great 
that  he  tuas  not  worthy  to  loose  the  latchet  of  His  shoes  (Luke  iii.  i6). 
This  baptism  which  he  gave  on  the  shores  of  the  Jordan  was  not  a 
sacrament  that  had  the  power  to  remit  original  sin  ;  it  was  a  mere 
ceremony  which  had  no  other  efficacy  than  to  dispose  men  to  penance, 
and  prepare  for  the  true  baptism  by  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
was  to  wash  away  their  sins  and  open  to  them  the  gates  of  heaven. 
Although  our  Saviour  had  no  need  of  the  baptism  of  St.  John,  since 
He  was  holiness  Himself,  He  nevertheless  wished  to  submit  Himself 
to  it  in  order  to  give  us  the  example  of  humility,  by  mingling  with 
sinners,  and  by  being  looked  upon  as  one  of  them.  At  His  baptism 
heaven  was  seen  to  open,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  upon  Him  in 
the  form  of  a  dove ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  voice  was  heard  saying  : 
This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased  (Matt.  iii.  17). 
This  was  a  striking  manifestation  of  the  three  adorable  persons  of  the 
Holy  Trinity. 

II.  After  His  baptism  by  St.  John,  which  revealed  to  men  His 
divine  origin,  and  which  is  regarded  as  the  first  act  of  His  public  life, 
our  Lord,  led  by  the  spirit  of  God  (Matt.  iv.  i),  says  the  Gospel, 
retired  into  the  desert,  to  prepare  Himself  by  recollection,  prayer,  and 
penance,  for  the  sublime  ministry  He  was  about  to  begin.  He  wished 
to  teach  us  in  what  manner  we  should  conduct  ourselves,  when  there 
is  question  of  choosing  a  state  of  life,  and  He  condemned  by  His 
example  those  rash  Christians  who  enter  the  matrimonial  state,  or  who 
embrace  the  religious  state,  without  having  sufficiently  consulted  God 
in  prayer. 

Buried  in  the  depths  of  solitude,  and  removed  from  all  communi- 
cation with  men,  our  Lord  fasted  during  forty  davs  and  forty  nights, 
without  taking  any  nourishment  whatever.  Astonishing  prodigy,  of 
which  there  had  been  only  two  examples  since  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  that  of  Moses,  the  legislator  of  God's  people,  and  that  of 
Elias,  the  chief  of  the  prophets.  In  order  to  commemorate  this  fast, 
as  also   to   remind   us  of   the   necessity  of  penance,  the   Church  has 


62  FIRST  PART.      XII.    INSTRUCTION 

instituted  the  time  of  Lent.  When  this  holy  time  arrives,  each  one 
should  say  to  himself :  If  God,  who  was  innocence  itself,  fasted  forty 
days,  is  it  not  just  that  I,  a  sinner,  should  do  penance?  In  the  course 
of  this  long  fast,  our  Saviour  permitted  the  devil  to  tempt  Him,  in 
order  to  merit  for  us  the  grace  to  surmount  temptations,  and  to  teach 
us  how  we  should  resist  them.  Temptations  are  not  an  evil  in  them- 
selves ;  on  the  contrary,  they  can  become  for  us  an  occasion  of  great 
merit.  But  we  must  not  seek  temptations  or  expose  ourselves  will- 
fully to  them  ;  and  if  temptations  present  themselves,  we  must  be 
prompt  in  rejecting  them  after  the  example  of  our  Divine  Master. 

III.  We  have  come  to  the  time  of  our  Lord's  public  ministry.  On 
leaving  the  desert,  our  Saviour  entered  into  Galilee;  but  He  had  no 
fixed  residence  from  this  time.  At  first,  He  went  about  alone,  after 
the  manner  of  the  prophets,  visiting  the  cities,  villages,  and  every- 
where preaching  the  Gospel.  But  soon  He  chose  twelve  apostles  and 
seventy-two  disciples,  and  traveled  over  the  whole  of  Judea.  He 
preached  in  the  synagogues,  in  the  temple,  on  the  mountains,  on  the 
shores  of  the  seas  and  rivers,  in  houses,  and  even  in  the  deserts, 
whither  crowds  followed  Him.  The  people  abandoned  their  labors 
and  even  forgot  their  meals  in  their  anxiety  to  see  and  hear  Him. 
On  two  occasions,  our  Saviour  was  obliged  to  work  a  miracle  in  order 
to  give  bread  to  a  multitude  of  several  thousands  who  had  followed 
Him,  and  who  had  taken  nothing  to  eat  for  three  days.  One  day,  a 
pious  woman  of  Jerusalem,  unable  to  contain  her  admiration,  cried 
out :  Blessed  is  the  womb  that  bore  thee  and  the  paps  that  gave  thee 
suck!  And  our  Lord  answered  :  Yea^  rather  blessed  are  they  who 
hear  the  word  of  God  and  keep  it  (Luke  xi.  27). 

The  doctrine  of  this  Divine  Preacher,  so  wonderful  and  ravishing, 
was  well  calculated  to  excite  zeal  and  enthusiasm.  It  was  expressed 
in  a  simple  and  benevolent  language,  which  made  a  profound  impres- 
sion upon  all  that  heard  it.  The  parables  of  the  prodigal  child,  of 
the  good  shepherd,  and  of  the  marriage  feast  (figure  of  the  Blessed 
Eucharist,  to  which  all  are  invited,  the  poor  and  unfortunate  as  well 
as  the  rich  and  great),  are  examples  of  the  sweetness,  simplicity,  and 
exquisite  tenderness  of  our  Saviour's  preaching. 

And  how  pure  are  the  morals  of  His  teaching !  Is  there  a  vice 
which  they  do  not  condemn,  or  a  virtue  which  they  do  not  prescribe? 
Before  the  tirrte  of  our  Lord,  the  rich  alone  were  considered  happy ; 
but  Jesus  says:  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit  (Matt.  v.  3).     It  was 


PUBLIC  LIFE  OF  JESUS  CHRIST  5^ 

considered  a  duty  to  revenge  injuries,  and  He  says  :  Blessed  are  the 
meek,  blessed  are  the  peace-makers  (Matt.  v.  4—5).  It  was  considered 
a  noble  thing  to  aspire  to  the  honors  and  dignities  of  the  world ;  men 
sought  to  appear  in  pomp  and  splendor,  and  to  attract  the  esteem  and 
admiration  of  others,  but  Jesus  says  :  Learn  of  me  because  I  am  meek 
and  humble  of  heart  (Matt.  xi.  29).  If  any  man  will  come  after  me, 
let  him^  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily  and  folloiv  me  (Luke 
IX.  23).  How  sublime  are  the  teachings  of  Jesus  on  purity  of  heart, 
fraternal  charity,  duty  of  prayer,  and  on  divine  Providence  which 
takes  care  of  the  little  birds  and  which  gives  such  rich  ornament  to 
the  flowers  of  the  field !  What  new  and  wonderful  maxims !  No 
man,  no  philosopher  ever  spoke  as  He  spoke.  The  evangelical  morals 
are  so  holy,  so  touching,  and  so  complete,  that  in  all  times,  and  even 
in  the  worst  of  days,  in  epochs  of  scandal  and  anarchy,  the  most 
impious  men  have  paid  homage  to  them. 

IV.  To  these  sublime  teachings,  Jesus  Christ  has  indeed  joined 
mysteries  which  reason  cannot  comprehend,  such  as  His  divinity,  the 
trinity  of  persons  in  God,  the  original  fall,  the  eternity  of  hell.  But 
He  has  proved  the  truth  of  His  doctrines  by  public  and  incontestable 
miracles,  which  no  one  can  deny,  except  he  rejects  all  evidence  — 
devils  driven  out  of  the  bodies  of  the  possessed,  storms  calmed,  the 
multiplication  of  loaves,  the  healing  of  the  sick,  the  raising  of  the 
dead  to  life ;  nothing  could  resist  His  power,  all  nature  was  obedient 
to  His  orders.  He  suspended  nature's  laws  and  commanded  the  ele- 
ments at  His  will.  And  these  wonderful  miracles  were  wrought  in 
an  instant,  without  effort  and  without  preparation ;  they  were  not 
wrought  in  secret,  or  before  a  few  friends  only,  but  in  public  places 
and  in  the  assemblies  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  His  most  bitter 
enemies,  and  before  multitudes  of  the  people. 

One  day  as  He  came  down  from  the  mountain,  whither  the  people 
had  followed  Him,  a  leper  approached  Him  and  said:  Lord,  if  thou 
wilt  thou  canst  make  me  clean;  and  fesus  stretching  forth  His  hand, 
said:  I  will,  be  thou  made  clean  (Matt.  viii.  3).  And  forthwith  he 
was  healed  from  his  leprosy.  At  another  time,  on  entering  Caphar- 
naum,  a  centurion  came  begging  Jesus  to  cure  his  sick  servant ;  and 
Jesus  said  to  Him  :  Go,  and  as  thou  hast  believed  so  be  it  done  to  thee 
(Matt.  VIII.  13)  ;  and  in  the  same  hour  the  servant  was  healed.  On 
another  occasion  He  was  in  a  boat  with  His  disciples,  and  whilst 
He  slept  behold  such  a  violent  storm  arose  that  His  disciples,  fearing 


64 


FIRST   PART.      XII.    INSTRUCTION 


they  would  all  be  drowned,  cried  out  to  Him:  Lord,  save  us,  we  per- 
ish (Matt.  VIII.  25),  and  Jesus,  rising,  commanded  the  winds  and 
the  sea  to  be  still ;  and  a  great  calm  ensued.  Once,  on  entering 
Capharnaum,  a  paralytic  was  brought  to  Him  on  a  bed  carried  by 
four  men,  and  Jesus,  seeing  their  faith,  said  to  the  paralytic  :  My  son, 
be  of  good  heart,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee  (Matt.  ix.  2).  And  when 
some  of  the  scribes  who  were  present  said  within  themselves  that  He 
blasphemed,  claiming  that  it  belonged  alone  to  God  to  remit  sins.  He 
spoke  to  them  thus  :  What  is  easier  to  say,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee, 
or  to  say:  Arise  and  walk?  But  that  you  may  know  that  the  son  of 
man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,  then  he  said  to  the  man  sick  of 
the  palsy.  Arise,  take  up  thy  bed  and  go  into  thy  house  (Matt.  ix.  5-6). 
And  the  paralytic  arose  and  returned  into  his  house.  You  have  all 
heard  the  story  of  the  healing  of  the  man  born  blind,  to  whom  Jesus 
restored  his  sight  with  a  little  spittle ;  of  the  raising  to  life  of  the 
daughter  of  Jairus,  and  of  the  only  son  of  the  widow  of  Nairn, 
who  was  being  carried  to  the  grave,  and  of  Lazarus  who  had  been 
buried  four  days.  Do  these  numerous  and  incontestable  miracles  not 
prove  both  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  truth  of  the  doctrine 
He  preached?  Who  but  a  God  could  have  acted  thus.?  Jesus  Christ 
declares  that  He  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  God  Himself.  We  must 
believe  one  of  two  things  :  either  He  is  God,  indeed,  and  then  we  have 
only  to  believe  and  adore  Him  ;  or  He  is  an  impious  and  sacrilegious 
impostor.  But,  in  the  latter  case,  we  ask  whence  could  He  have  the 
power  to  work  so  many  miracles,  and  to  suspend  the  laws  of  nature? 
If  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  could  He  have  allowed  this  imposture, 
and  lead  men  into  error? 

V.  But,  my  brethren,  it  is  not  only  by  His  doctrine  and  miracles 
that  Jesus  Christ  has  proved  His  divinity;  He  has  proved  this  also  by 
His  heroic  virtues  and  the  incomparable  holiness  of  His  life.  All  that 
He  recommended  to  others.  He  practiced  Himself  :  fesus  began  to  do 
and  to  teach  (Acts  i.  i).  Look  on  the  picture  the  Gospel  traces  of 
Jesus  :  What  love  for  God  and  what  zeal  for  His  glory!  He  passes 
whole  nights  in  prayer,  and  His  food  is  to  do  the  will  of  the  One  that 
sent  Him.  What  purity  of  morals!  what  humility!  what  disinterest- 
edness! He  passes  His  whole  life  in  virginity;  when  He  spoke  with 
the  Samaritan  woman  to  enlighten  and  to  convert  her,  His  disciples 
were  astonished  to  see  Him  converse  with  a  woman.  He  is  poor,  and 
flees  the  honors  and  dignities  of  the  world.     When  the  multitude  wish 


PUBLIC   LIFE   OF  JESUS   CHRIST  ge 

to  proclaim  Him  king,  He  retires  into  solitude ;  when  the  people  wish 
to  receive  Him  in  triumph  in  Jerusalem,  He  escapes  and  goes  into  the 
country.  How  touching  was  His  goodness!  With  what  affection 
does  He  not  receive  the  poor  and  unfortunate!  He  consoles  them, 
He  provides  for  them.  He  is  not  afraid  to  enter  the  houses  of  sin- 
ners, to  eat  with  them  and  converse  with  them.  He  calls  the  poor 
His  friends ;  He  declares  that  He  will  hold  as  done  to  Himself  what- 
ever is  done  to  the  least  among  them.  His  heart  burnt  with  love  for 
all.  He  loved  little  children  and  wished  to  have  them  close  to  Him  : 
Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  to  ?ne,  and  He  threatened  with  the 
most  severe  punishments  those  who  scandalize  the  little  ones. 

In  a  word,  there  is  no  virtue  of  which  He  did  not  give  us  an  ex- 
ample and  which  He  did  not  possess  in  its  full  perfection.  In  His 
whole  life  there  is  not  an  action  in  which  one  can  remark  the  slightest 
fault  or  the  least  imperfection.  He  challenged  His  most  bitter 
enemies,  and  said,  with  a  noble  boldness,  that  belongs  not  to  man  but 
to  God  alone  :    Which  of  you  can  convince  me  of  sin?  (John  viii.  46.) 

During  the  sorrowful  days  of  His  passion,  what  patience  and  what 
kindness  He  manifests!  What  courageous  and  simple  firmness  in  the 
midst  of  the  most  cruel  treatment  and  the  most  frightful  torments ! 
Not  a  word  of  remonstrance  escapes  His  lips.  He  prays  for  His  ex- 
ecutioners, and  whilst  they  are  inflicting  on  Him  the  most  atrocious 
torments.  He  supplicates  His  heavenly  Father  to  show  mercy  towards 
them:  Father^  forgive  them  (Luke  xxiii.  44). 

Was  there  ever  a  life  comparable  to  His?  And  still  I  have 
sketched  only  a  few  traits.  Read  the  Gospels  for  yourselves ;  read 
them  with  a  docile  and  simple  heart,  and  you  will  be  touched  and  con- 
vinced. You  will  see  that  Jesus  is  truly  the  Son  of  God,  our  master 
and  our  model. 

But  if  we  are  disciples  of  Christ,  let  us  show  it  by  our  conduct. 
Let  us  humbly  obey  His  laws,  let  us  practice  the  virtues  which  He  has 
taught  us,  let  us  follow  in  His  footsteps,  and  let  us  have  confidence  in 
Him,  and  our  works  will  not  remain  without  reward.     Amen. 
5 


66  FIRST   PART,      XIII.   INSTRUCTION 

XIII.  INSTRUCTION 

Fourth  Article  of  the  Creed 

Suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate,  Crucified,  Dead  attd  Buried 

I.  So  MANY  A'irtues  and  miracles  ought,  undoubtedly,  to  have  won 
for  our  Saviour  the  love  and  gratitude  of  the  Jews.  But  no,  holy  and 
wonderful  as  His  life  was  by  His  doctrine  and  His  works,  it  was  ren- 
dered the  more  painful  by  humiliations  and  sufferings.  Jesus  Christ 
had  suffered  at  His  birth  in  the  stable  of  Bethlehem ;  He  had  suffered 
in  fleeing  into  Egypt,  to  avoid  the  persecution  of  the  cruel  Herod ;  in 
short,  He  had  suffered  His  whole  lifetime,  because,  as  the  author  of 
the  *^  Imitation  '*  teaches,  the  life  of  Jesus  was  one  continual  martyr- 
dom. 

When  the  Apostles'  Creed  says  that  Jesus  Christ  suffered  under 
Pontius  Pilate,  the  governor  of  Judea,  it  is  to  be  understood  of  what 
He  endured  on  the  eve  and  on  the  day  of  His  death.  These  two  days 
were  days  of  continual  suffering:  ist.  In  the  Garden  of  Olives,  He  fell 
into  a  mortal  agony  which  brought  on  a  bloody  sweat.  He  was  be- 
trayed by  the  infamous  Judas,  taken  prisoner  by  the  soldiers,  and  led 
away  as  a  criminal ;  2d.  He  suffered  before  Annas,  the  father-in-law  of 
Caiphas,  the  high-priest ;  He  was  slapped  in  His  face,  under  the 
pretext  that  He  had  answered  to  the  pontiff  disrespectfully ;  3d.  He 
suffered  before  Caiphas,  high-priest  of  that  year ;  He  was  accused, 
condemned,  spit  upon,  and  outraged  in  every  manner;  4th.  He  suffered 
before  Pontius  Pilate  who,  although  he  recognized  the  innocence  of 
Christ,  nevertheless  did  not  dare  to  set  Him  free,  for  fear  of  making 
himself  odious  in  the  eyes  of  the  Jews  ;  5th.  He  suffered  before  Herod 
who,  deceived  in  his  expectations  of  seeing  Christ  work  a  miracle, 
mocked  Him  by  clothing  Him  in  a  white  garment  and  sent  Him  back 
to  Pilate;  6th.  He  suffered  in  the  court  of  Pilate  where  He  was  scourged, 
crowned  with  thorns,  and  condemned  to  die  upon  a  cross  which  He 
was  obliged  to  carry  upon  His  own  shoulders  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion ;  7th.  Finally,  He  suffered  on  Calvary,  where  He  was  crucified 
between  two  thieves. 

In  a  word  Jesus  Christ  was  a  man  of  sorrows.  He  suffered  more 
than  all  the  martyrs  together.  We  cannot  read  the  history  of  His 
passion,  without  being  moved  with  pity  for  so  much  suffering.     Even 


ON  THE  MYSTERY  OF  REDEMPTION 


67 


had  Jesus  been  the  last  and  the  meanest  of  men,  no  one  could  hear 
this  sad  story  without  shedding  tears.  But  what  a  spectacle  of 
patience  and  resignation!  Jesus,  in  the  midst  of  so  much  anguish  and 
suffering,  did  not  even  open  His  mouth  to  complain,  but  permitted 
Himself  to  be  led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  dumb  before  those  who 
struck  Him.  What  a  striking  condemnation  of  our  murmuring  and 
complaints  in  our  little  trials  and  troubles ! 

II.  Nailed  to  the  cross,  our  Lord  spoke  seven  times  remarkable 
words,  worthy  of  being  engraved  forever  on  our  hearts.  First :  He 
prayed  to  His  Father  for  His  executioners:  Father  forgive  thetn^for 
they  know  not  what  they  do  (Luke  xxiii.  34).  What  a  striking 
example  of  heroic  charity !  Second  :  He  promised  paradise  to  the 
penitent  chief.  What  a  consoling  truth  for  sinners  who  are  tempted 
to  despair  of  salvation.  Third:  He  addresses  His  mother  and  refer- 
ring to  her  the  apostle  St.  John,  who  was  at  her  side.  He  said  to  her : 

Woman,  behold  thy  son  (John  xix.  26),  and  turning  to  St.  John,  He 
said  to  him  :  Behold  thy  ?nother  (John  xix.  27).  St.  John  at  the 
foot  of  the  cross  represented  all  Christians,  children  of  the  Church. 
At  that  moment,  my  brethren,  we  all  became  the  children  of  Mary. 
What  a  consolation!  What  a  source  of  hope  and  happiness!  Fourth: 
Oppressed  by  a  burning  thirst,  Jesus  cried  out:  /  thirst  (John 
XIX.  28).  It  was  thirst  for  salvation  of  man,  thirst  for  our  souls; 
but  for  drink  the  executioners  offered  Him  gall  and  vinegar.  Fifth  : 
//  is  consummated  (John  xix.  30).  God  and  man  were  satisfied. 
The  justice  of  God  was  satisfied,  the  malice  of  man  was  satiated. 
Sixth:  Jesus  cried  out  to  His  Father:  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me  (Matt,  xxvii.  46).  Seventh:  Father,  into  thy 
hands  I  commend  my  spirit  (Luke  xxiii,  46).  At  these  words, 
Jesus  with  a  great  cry  bowed  His  head  and  died.  At  the  same 
moment  all  nature  was  convulsed.  The  sun  was  darkened,  the  earth 
trembled,  the  graves  opened,  and  the  dead  arose;  the  veil  of  the 
temple  was  rent  in  two.  Some  of  the  executioners  were  converted, 
and  all  went  away  striking  their  breasts  and  wondering  at  what  had 
happened.  It  was  on  a  Friday,  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  a 
day  forever  memorable :  the  day  of  all  days ;  but  a  day  of  sorrow 
and  sadness,  and  which  every  Christian  soul  should  spend  in  sor- 
row and  penance,  and  in  meditation  on  the  sufferings  of  Christ. 

III.  Why  did  Jesus  Christ  submit  to  such  horrible  sufferings  and 
to  such  a  death?     Jesus  gave  His  life  to  redeem  us;  He  suffered  and 


68  FIRST  PART.      XIII.   INSTRUCTION 

died  in  order  to  save  us  from  the  slavery  of  the  devil,  and  to  reopen 
to  us  the  gates  of  heaven  vv^hich  had  been  closed  through  the  sin  of 
our  first  parents.  He  suffered  and  died,  not  only  for  us,  disciples  of 
the  Gospel,  but  for  all  men  v^^ithout  distinction.  He  died  for  pagans 
as  well  as  Christians ;  for  the  savages  who  still  roam  in  the  woods,  as 
well  as  for  the  most  civilized  nations  :  He  is  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  those  of  the  whole  world 
(I.  John  II.  2).  By  His  death  He  has  reconciled  us  with  His  Father  — 
He  has  restored  us  to  our  rights  to  the  celestial  inheritance.  Is  our 
salvation  certain,  and  is  heaven  assured  to  us?  No;  but  it  is  open  for 
us,  and  it  depends  only  on  ourselves  to  merit  it.  Those  who  live  in 
infidelity  or  heresy  can  arrive  at  a  knowledge  of  the  truths  of  faith,  if 
they  practice  the  natural  law  engraved  by  God  Himself  on  the  hearts 
of  all  men,  and  if  they  cooperate  with  the  graces  which  He  grants 
them.  And  we,  who  are  already  in  the  possession  of  the  true  faith, 
shall  infallibly  enter  heaven,  if  by  prayer  and  the  sacraments  we 
apply  to  ourselves  the  merits  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  if  we  walk  in 
His  footsteps,  in  the   way  of  His  commandments. 

This,  my  brethren,  is  the  mystery  of  Redemption  :  Jesus  Christ 
suffering  and  dying  on  the  cross  for  us;  a  mystery  infinitely  adorable 
and  forever  worthy  of  our  respect,  our  gratitude,  and  our  love! 

IV.  Undoubtedly,  it  was  not  necessary  that  Jesus  Christ  should 
undergo  such  suffering.  The  least  of  His  sufferings  being  of  an  infi- 
nite merit,  one  sigh,  one  single  tear,  would  have  been  more  than  suffi- 
cient to  redeem  the  world  and  thousands  of  worlds  a  thousand  times 
more  guilty  than  ours.  But,  as  He  wished  to  give  us  an  example  of 
all  virtues,  His  love  for  us  was  so  great  that  He  minded  no  measure, 
and  He  was  satisfied  only  when  He  had  shed  the  last  drop  of  His 
blood  for  us.  He  chose  death  on  a  cross,  because  it  was  the  most 
cruel  and  infamous  of  deaths,  reserved  only  for  slaves  and  the  greatest 
criminals.  Among  the  Jews  it  was  regarded  as  the  most  shameful  of 
deaths,  and  it  was  inflicted  only  on  foreigners.  Christ  died  for  all  in 
general,  and  for  each  one  of  us  in  particular,  and  each  one  of  us  has  as 
much  share  in  the  merits  of  redemption  as  if  these  were  for  hiih  alone. 

Can  any  one  imagine  a  greater  love?     If  a  king  should  die  to  save 
the  life  of  the  meanest  of  his  subjects,  what  would  you  think? 
And,  nevertheless,  it  would  be  only  a  man  dying  to  save  another  man. 
But  a  God  dies  to  save  criminals,  and  He  foresees  their  ingratitude.    Oh, 
ineffable  love  of  God  towards  man!     Who  can  sound  its  depth?     But 


ON  THE  MYSTERY  OF  REDEMPTION 


69 


let  us  also  remember  the  rigorous  and  inexorable  justice  of  God  who 
will  punish  our  sins! 

If  there  is  anything  in  the  world  that  gives  an  idea  of  the  enor- 
mity of  sin,  it  is  the  sight  or  the  remembrance  of  Calvary.  In  the 
Old  Law  God  had  exercised  terrible  vengeance  against  sin.  He  de- 
stroyed all  mankind  in  the  Deluge ;  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  were  con- 
sumed by  fire  from  heaven  ;  the  entire  army  of  the  Egyptian  Pharaoh 
was  drowned  in  the  Red  Sea,  and  thousands  of  Israelites  died  in  the- 
desert.  What  was  all  this  in  comparison  with  a  God  dying  upon  a. 
cross  to  expiate  sin  ?  The  sight  of  a  God  descended  from  heaven- 
upon  earth,  nailed  to  an  infamous  gibbet  and  pouring  out  the  last 
drop  of  His  blood,  in  order  to  reconcile  us  with  His  heavenly  Father, 
is  the  most  striking  proof  of  the  incomprehensible  rigors  of  divine 
vengeance.  Hell  itself,  with  all  its  torments,  does  not  move  me  so 
much  as  the  cross  with  its  prodigies  of  humiliation  and  suffering ;  for 
in  hell  it  is  the  guilty  soul  that  suffers,  but  here  it  is  Holiness  itself; 
only  vile  creatures  are  there,  but  here  it  is  the  Creator,  the  Eternal 
One,  who  dies.  Let  us  adore  and  bless  the  infinite  mercy  of  a  God  to 
men ;  but  let  us  also  tremble  at  the  sight  of  His  justice. 

V.  The  cross  is  the  instrument  of  which  Jesus  Christ  made  use  for 
the  redemption  of  mankind,  and  the  altar  upon  which  He  immolated 
Himself  for  the  glory  of  His  Father.  Let  us  love  and  revere  the 
cross.  It  teaches  us  the  enormity  of  sin,  the  immensity  of  God's  love 
for  us,  and  the  infinite  rigors  of  His  justice.  What  an  eloquent 
preacher  it  is !  A  God  praying  for  His  executioners ;  a  God  abasing 
Himself  and  dying  like  a  criminal  on  an  infamous  gibbet ;  a  God 
suffering  awful  torments  and  outrages  without  even  opening  His 
mouth  to  complain !  Was  there  ever  a  more  perfect  model  of  charity, 
patience,  and  humility.'' 

Let  us  often  meditate,  my  dear  brethren,  on  the  mystery  of  the 
cross.  What  sight  is  better  fitted  to  instruct,  to  touch  and  convert 
our  hearts !  After  the  example  of  the  saints,  let  us  always  cherish  for 
the  cross  the  greatest  veneration  and  the  most  tender  love.  It  is  the 
symbol  of  our  faith  and  the  sign  of  our  salvation.  Let  us  salute  it  re- 
spectfully wherever  we  see  it.  Woe  to  him  who  is  ashamed  of  the 
cross !  St.  Paul  gloried  only  in  the  cross  of  Christ.  Keep  a  crucifix 
in  your  house,  and  kneel  before  it  from  time  to  time.  Carry  a  small 
crucifix  about  with  you  to  remind  you  of  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
Christ. 


70 


FIRST   PART.      XIII.    INSTRUCTION 


But  above  all,  my  brethren,  let  us  make  the  sign  of  the  cross.  No 
prayer  is  more  agreeable  to  God  and  more  potent  to  drive  away  the 
devil  and  to  draw  down  upon  us  the  graces  we  need.  Make  the  sign 
of  the  cross  in  the  morning  on  rising,  to  offer  to  God  the  actions  of 
the  day,  and  in  the  evening  on  going  to  bed,  to  ask  of  God  the  grace 
to  pass  the  night  well.  Make  it  at  the  beginning  of  your  principal 
actions  in  order  to  purify  your  intention ;  before  and  after  meals ;  in 
dangers  and  in  temptations.  Make  it  properly  and  with  respect,  and 
not  mechanically  and  with  distraction,  as  so  many  careless  and  indif- 
ferent Christians  do.  Begin  by  piously  placing  your  right  hand  on 
your  forehead,  in  saying  with  a  respectful  attention :  In  the  name  of  the 
Father^  and  then  on  your  breast,  saying:  and  of  the  Son,  and,  finally, 
on  the  left  and  right  shoulders,  saying  :  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is 
w^ith  the  sign  of  the  cross  that  the  Church  commences  and  ends  all  her 
ceremonies  and  offices.  All  the  Sacraments  are  administered,  and  all 
the  blessings  are  given  with  the  sign  of  the  cross.  At  baptism  it  was 
the  sign  of  the  cross  that  introduced  us  into  the  Church ;  in  the  hour 
of  death  it  should  be  our  last  prayer. 

The  Way  of  the  Cross  is  also  a  pious  practice  established  to  honor 
the  cross  and  the  sufferings  of  the  Saviour.  It  is  an  eminently  useful 
devotion  on  account  of  the  mysteries  which  it  recalls,  and  on  account 
of  the  numerous  indulgences  attached  to  it.  I  cannot  recommend  too 
much  this  practice  of  piety,  nor  can  I  engage  you  too  earnestly  to 
follow  our  Saviour  in  the  sorrowful  Way  of  the  Cross. 

Finally,  my  brethren,  another  way  of  honoring  the  cross  is  to  bear 
the  crosses  and  trials  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  send  us.  Such  are  the  in- 
firmities that  befall  us,  the  contradictions  of  life  and  the  reverses  of 
fortune.  If  we  are  the  disciples  of  a  God  who  carried  His  cross  to 
Calvary,  let  us  also  carry  our  own  crosses,  and  let  us  carry  them  with- 
out complaint.  Let  us  carry  them  with  resignation  and  patience  and 
in  a  spirit  of  penance  for  our  sins ;  and  these  crosses  which  we  must 
carry,  even  though  we  are  unwilling,  will  become  for  us  sources  of 
consolation  and  merit,  and  will  infallibly  lead  us  to  eternal  happiness. 
For  the  royal  way  to  heaven  is  the  way  of  the  cross.     Amen. 


RESURRECTION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.      HIS  ASCENSION  yi 

XIV.  INSTRUCTION 

Fifth  and  Sixth  Articles  of  the  Creed 

He  Descended  into  Hell;  the  Third  Day  He  Rose  Again  from  the  Dead. — 

He    Ascended   into    Heaven    and  Sitteth   at   the   Right 

Hand  of  God  the  Father  Almighty 

I.  Our  Divine  Saviour,  nailed  to  the  tree  of  the  cross,  heaved  a  last 
sigh,  and  His  soul  separated  from  His  body.  But  both  soul  and  body 
remained  united  to  the  divinity,  so  that  they  virere  always  the  soul 
and  the  body  of  the 'Son  of  God,  and,  consequently,  always  equally 
worthy  of  our  adoration  and  homage.  The  adorable  body  of  Jesus 
Christ,  after  death,  remained  for  a  time  suspended  on  the  cross ;  and, 
in  the  interval,  one  of  the  soldiers  pierced  the  heart  of  our  Savior 
with  a  lance,  in  order  to  assure  himself  of  His  death,  little  thinking 
that  thereby  he  had  opened  to  us  an  inexhaustible  source  of  consola- 
tion and  grace.  Finally,  when  evening  came,  Joseph  of  Arimathea, 
one  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  noblest 
and  wealthiest  of  the  Jews,  went  to  see  Pilate  and  boldly  asked  him 
for  the  permission  to  remove  the  body  of  our  Lord,  and  to  bury  it. 
Pilate  granted  the  permission  and  Joseph,  together  with  Nicodemus, 
also  one  of  the  disciples  of  Christ,  but  secretly  until  now,  for  fear 
of  the  Jews,  went  to  Mount  Calvary  and  took  down  the  sacred  body 
from  the  cross,  and  having  embalmed  it  they  wrapped  it  in  winding 
sheets  and  deposited  it  in  a  new  sepulcher,  where  no  one  had  yet  been 
laid.     They  then  closed  the  entrance  with  a  large  stone. 

The  chief  priests  and  Pharisees,  remembering  that  Jesus  had  said 
that  He  would  rise  again  on  the  third  day,  and  fearing  that  His 
disciples  might  steal  the  body  in  order  to  make  the  people  believe 
that  He  had  really  risen,  sealed  the  entrance  of  the  sepulcher  with 
the  seals  of  the  State,  and  stationed  a  troop  of  soldiers  around  the 
grave  to  guard  it.  Divine  Providence  disposed  things  in  this  manner 
in  order  that  even  the  most  inveterate  enemies  of  the  Saviour  should 
become  the  chief  witnesses  of  His  resurrection. 

II.  Whilst  the  body  of  the  Saviour  lay  in  the  sepulcher,  what  be- 
came of  His  soul?  His  soul,  says  the  Apostles'  Creed,  always  united 
with  His  divinity,  descended  into  hell ;  that  is,  into  a  place  generally 
called  Limbo.     But  in  order  to  understand  what  the  Church  teaches 


72 


FIRST   PART.      XIV.    INSTRUCTION 


hereby,  we  should  know  that  there  are  three  kinds  of  hells  :  The  hell 
of  the  demons  and  of  those  souls  who  die  in  the  state  of  mortal  sin, 
and  whose  torments  are  eternal ;  the  hell  of  the  souls  of  those  who 
died  in  a  state  of  grace,  but  who  had  not  yet  entirely  satisfied  divine 
justice  for  their  sins.  The  torments  are  like  those  of  hell,  but  they 
last  only  for  a  time.  We  call  this  place  Purgatory.  Finally,  Limbo, 
a  place  of  peace  and  rest,  free  from  all  suffering,  except  the  privation 
of  the  sight  of  God,  and  where  those  pure  and  holy  souls  were  de- 
tained who  had  entirely  satisfied  for  their  sins,  but  who,  having  died 
before  the  coming  of  the  Redeemer,  could  not  enter  heaven,  because 
it  was  closed  by  original  sin,  and  was  to  be  opened  to  them  only  by 
the  death  of  our  Lord.  Here  were  detained  the  souls  of  Adam  and 
Eve,  our  first  parents ;  of  the  patriarchs  and  prophets  of  the  Old 
Law,  Job,  Tobias,  and  many  other  holy  personages  whom  we  do  not 
know.  It  was  into  this  Limbo  that  our  Lord  descended,  in  order  to 
announce  to  them  the  glad  tidings  of  redemption.  What  must  have 
been  their  joy  when  they  learned  that  the  day  of  their  deliverance  had 
finally  arrived,  and  that  they  were  to  go  forth  and  possess  God  forever 
in  heaven! 

III.  It  was  the  third  day  after  the  death  of  our  Lord  when  the 
prediction  that  He  had  made  repeatedly  that  He  would  "  rise  again  on 
the  third  day  ^^  was  fulfilled.  On  a  Sunday,  about  six  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  a  few  pious  and  holy  women  had  come  to  the  tomb  to  em- 
balm the  body  of  the  Savior  with  precious  perfumes  which  they  had 
brought  with  them.  But  they  found  there  only  an  angel,  under  the 
form  of  a  young  man,  who  said  to  them  :  Tou  seek  jfesus  of  Naza- 
reth^ who  ivas  crucified;  he  is  risen  ^  he  is  not  here;  behold  the  place 
where  they  laid  him.  But  go^  tell  his  disciples  and  Peter  that  he 
goeth  before  you  into  Galilee;  there  you  shall  see  him,  as  he  told  you 
(Mark  xvi.  6-7). 

Such  is  the  simple  manner  in  which  the  Gospel  relates  the  resur- 
rection of  the  Saviour  —  this  important  mystery  which  forms  the  foun- 
dation of  the  Christian  faith.  I  shall  dwell  little  on  this  mystery  in 
order  to  show  its  reality  and  certitude.  Since  the  Gospfel  declares  it, 
we  are  not  permitted  to  have  the  least  doubt  about  it.  Besides,  the 
body  of  our  Lord  having  been  deposited  in  a  tomb,  in  the  sight  and  to 
the  knowledge  of  everybody,  it  must  certainly  either  have  risen,  or  His 
disciples  must  have  stolen  it,  but  how  could  they  have  stolen  it,  since 
the  tomb  was  surrounded  by  a  troop  of  soldiers  charged  to  watch  over 


RESURRECTION   OF   JESUS  CHRIST.      HIS  ASCENSION  y^ 

the  body  which  it  contained  and  to  prevent  it  from  being  removed. 
On  the  other  hand,  did  not  our  Saviour  appear  repeatedly  after  His 
resurrection  to  His  apostles  and  his  disciples,  conversing  with  them, 
eating  with  them,  and  making  them  touch  His  body  and  wounds? 
Did  He  not  even  show  Himself  on  one  occasion  to  a  multitude  of  five 
hundred  persons  gathered  on  a  mountain? 

But  what  should  completely  dispel  any  doubt  that  might  exist  in 
our  minds  is  the  effect  which  this  miraculous  event  produced  in  the 
world.  Hardly  became  it  known,  when  Jews  and  Gentiles  were  con- 
verted in  crowds,  during  three  hundred  years,  and  great  numbers  were 
not  afraid  to  die  for  their  faith  in  the  resurrection.  The  atrocious 
persecutions  which  broke  out  against  the  disciples  of  the  Crucified 
only  helped  to  increase  the  number  of  converts,  and  soon  the  idols 
tumbled  down,  paganism  was  overcome,  and  the  world  became  Chris- 
tian. And  what  is  still  more  astonishing,  it  has  remained  Christian. 
For  nearly  nineteen  hundred  years  the  Christian  religion  has  flourished 
on  earth,  in  spite  of  all  the  persecutions  of  the  tyrants,  in  spite  of  all 
the  attacks  of  the  infidels  and  impious,  and  it  is  still  full  of  vigor  and 
life,  and  one  can  well  understand  that  it  has  promises  of  immortality. 
If  the  resurrection  of  the  Saviour  had  not  been  real,  if  it  had  been  only 
a  lie  and  a  strategem  skillfully  conceived  by  His  disciples,  would  the 
world  have  embraced  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  constantly  re- 
mained faithful  to  it,  and  would  Christians  have  defended  and  pre- 
served the  faith  even  at  the  price  of  life  itself? 

The  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  strongest  proof  of  the  truth 
of  faith  and  of*  the  divinity  of  the  Saviour.  It  is  the  basis  of  the  whole 
edifice  of  Christianity.  If  Jesus  Christ  had  not  really  risen  again 
our  faith  would  be  vain,  says  St.  Paul  (I.  Cor.  xv.  14).  His  re- 
ligion and  Gospel  would  be  only  a  fable,  and  He  Himself  (pardon 
me,  O  my  God,  for  the  impious  supposition)  would  be  only  an  im- 
postor. 

If  Christ  really  rose  from  the  dead,  what  is  the  consequence?  It 
follows  that  He  is  God  and  that  His  religion  is  divine.  Indeed,  who 
but  a  God  could  foretell,  as  He  did,  that  He  would  rise  again,  and 
that  He  would  rise  on  the  third  day?  This  is  the  proof  which  He 
gave  when  the  Jews  asked  Him  for  a  sign  of  His  divinity  :  This  evil 
and  adulterous g-eneration.  He  said,  seeketh  a  sign;  and  a  sign  shall 
not  be  given  it,  but  the  sign  of  yonas  the  prophet.  For  as  Jonas  ivas 
in  the  •whale' s  belly  three  days  and  three  nights,  so  shall  the  son  of 


74 


FIRST   PART.      XrV.    INSTRUCTION 


man  be  in  the  heart  of  the  earth  three  days  and  three  nights  (Matt. 
XII.  39-40). 

The  Church  celebrates  the  great  mystery  of  the  resurrection  on 
Easter  Sunday.  The  feast  of  Easter  is  regarded  as  the  greatest  of  all 
the  feasts  of  the  year.  On  this  great  day  the  Church  displays  her 
most  beautiful  ornaments,  her  most  majestic  ceremonial,  and  makes 
the  arches  resound  with  the  chant  of  joy,  Alleluia,  praise  the  Lord! 
Oh !  let  us  repeat,  ourselves,  this  cry  of  glory  and  triumph,  a  triumph 
over  the  devil  and  over  our  passions,  and  a  passage  from  death  to  life, 
from  sin  to  grace.  Hence,  during  the  time  of  Lent  let  us  prepare  our- 
selves for  our  spiritual  resurrection  through  mortification  and  pen- 
ance. According  to  the  example  of  our  divine  Master,  we  should 
commence  by  crucifying  ourselves,  by  dying  to  ourselves  and  to  all 
our  passions,  in  order  to  begin  a  new  life,  a  life  of  faith  and  charity, 
a  life  of  zeal  and  fervor,  and  thus  we  shall  rise  with  Jesus  Christ,  and 
more  than  this,  we  shall  rise  like  Jesus  Christ.  The  body  of  Jesus 
Christ  after  His  resurrection  became  so  agile  and  subtile,  that  it  could 
easily  penetrate  the  hardest  substances,  as  in  the  Cenacle,  and  trans- 
port itself  from  one  place  to  another,  with  the  rapidity  of  thought. 
Once  risen  to  the  life  of  grace,  we  should  work  out  our  salvation  with 
so  much  activity  and  zeal,  that  no  obstacles  should  stop  us  in  the  ways 
of  God.  Finally,  as  the  risen  body  of  Christ  became  brilliant  with 
glory  and  light,  as  formerly  on  Mount  Thabor,  so,  also,  after  our  resur- 
rection from  sin,  we  should  strive  to  spread  everywhere  the  light  of 
our  good  example,  to  give  a  new  brightness  to  our  actions,  even  to  the 
most  common,  through  pure  and  upright,  intentions,  and  to  gain  souls 
to  God  through  the  good  odor  of  our  virtues. 

IV.  Although  Jesus  Christ  had  consummated  by  His  death  the 
work  of  our  redemption,  He  did  not,  however,  wish  to  ascend  into 
heaven  immediately  after  His  resurrection.  His  disciples  needed  to 
be  prepared  for  the  separation,  which  should  be  so  hard  for  them; 
they  were  also  in  need  of  instruction  on  many  points,  and  even,  per- 
haps, of  being  confirmed  in  the  faith  of  His  resurrection.  For  this 
purpose  Jesus  remained  forty  days  upon  earth,  conversing  familiarly 
w^ith  them,  giving  them  all  the  necessary  instructions,  either  on  the 
mysteries  of  faith  which  they  were  to  preach,  or  on  the  government 
of  His  Church,  the  sacraments  and  the  manner  of  administering  them. 
It  was  in  this  interval  that  He  gave  to  St.  Peter  the  keys  of  His 
Church,  and  that  He  established  him  as  its  chief ;  that  He  charged  the 


RESURRECTION   OF  JESUS  CHRIST.      HIS  ASCENSION  yc 

apostles  to  carry  the  Gospel  throughout  the  world,  that  He  gave  to 
them  the  understanding  of  the  Scriptures,  and  that  He  manifested 
to  them  other  truths  which  the  Church  has  always  preserved  and 
respected  as  the  word  of  God,  and  which  form  what  we  call  the 
apostolic  traditions. 

Finally,  the  day  which  the  Saviour  had  chosen  to  ascend  into 
heaven  having  arrived,  He  entered  suddenly  into  the  house  at  Jeru- 
salem, where  He  had  given  orders  to  His  apostles  to  assemble.  He 
saluted  them  friendly,  wished  and  gave  to  them  peace,  ate  with  them, 
and  reminded  them  of  all  He  had  taught  them.  Then  having  told 
them  that  He  would  send  them  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  would  transform 
them  into  new  men,  He  led  them  up  the  Mount  of  Olives;  and,  there, 
after  having  blessed  them  for  the  last  time,  He  arose  majestically  into 
the  air;  a  brilliant  cloud  soon  hid  Him  from  their  eyes  while  they 
were  still  looking  up  ;  the  gates  of  heaven  were  opened,  and  as  a 
king  who  returns  from  conquering  a  kingdom,  Jesus  made  His 
triumphant  entry  into  heaven  amidst  the  acclamations  of  the  heavenly 
court,  accompanied  by  all  the  holy  souls  of  Limbo. 

The  Church  honors  this  mystery  every  year  on  Ascension  Day, 
forty  days  after  Easter.  The  ascension  of  the  Saviour  of  the  world 
was  a  wonderful  act  of  His  almighty  power ;  for  it  was  He  Himself 
who,  by  His  own  power  and  without  any  assistance,  raised  Him- 
self into  heaven.  Hence,  there  is  a  difference  between  the  ascen- 
sion of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  who 
was  transported  thither  not  by  her  own  power,  but  by  the  hands  of 
angels. 

Although  Jesus  Christ  ascended  into  heaven.  He  is,  nevertheless, 
always  present  upon  earth.  He  is  sacramentally  present  in  all  the 
Catholic  Churches  of  the  world,  and  spiritually  with  His  Church 
which  He  has  always  assisted,  and  which  He  always  will  assist  until 
the  end  of  time,  with  His  divine  light. 

But  what  does  the  Creed  wish  to  teach  us  when  it  says  that  Jesus 
Christ  in  heaven  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father?  Has  the 
heavenly  Father  a  right  hand,  or  a  left  hand?  No,  undoubtedly, 
because  He  is  a  spirit.  Can  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  in  His  glorified 
state,  be  considered  as  sitting  or  standing?  No,  because  He  partakes 
in  the  nature  of  the  spirits.  What,  therefore,  do  the  apostles  mean 
to  say?  They  mean  to  tell  us  that  Jesus  Christ  in  heaven  is  as  in  a 
place  of  rest ;  that  He  occupies  near  God  the  most  distinguished  place; 


76 


FIRST   PART.      XIV.    INSTRUCTION 


that  He  is  above  the  angels  and  saints,  being  in  all  things  equal  to 
His  Father. 

This  article  of  the  Creed  naturally  suggests  some  interesting  ques- 
tions. Why  did  Jesus  Christ  ascend  into  heaven?  What  does  He 
do  there?  What  are  the  advantages  which  we  will  derive  from  His 
ascension  ? 

Jesus  Christ  ascended  into  heaven,  my  brethren:  ist.  Because  He 
had  not  come  upon  earth  to  remain  here  always ;  the  object  of  His 
mission  having  been  fulfilled.  He  returned  to  His  Father  who  had 
sent  Him.  2d.  To  confound  the  carnal  Jews,  and  to  show  them  that 
His  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world.  3d.  To  glorify  His  humanity 
which  had  been  so  humiliated  upon  earth,  4th.  To  send  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  His  apostles,  according  to  His  promise  :  For  if  I  go  not  the 
Paraclete  tvill  not  come  to  you;  but  if  I  go^  I  will  send  Him  to  you 
(John  XVII.  7)'      5th,   Finally,  in  order  to  prepare  a  place  for  us. 

What  does  Jesus  do  in  heaven?  Although  He  is  in  everything 
equal  to  His  Father,  He  continues  to  perform  there  for  us,  as  formerly 
upon  earth,  the  offices  of  advocate,  of  priest,  and  of  mediator;  of 
advocate,  by  interceding  continually  for  us;  of  priest,  by  immolating 
Himself  continually  for  us  in  a  mystical  manner ;  and  of  mediator, 
by  applying  to  us  the  merits  of  His  precious  blood. 

What  are  the  advantages  we  derive  from  the  ascension  of  Jesus 
Christ?  One  is  that  it  depends  only  upon  ourselves  to  ascend  into 
heaven  after  Him.  There  where  the  head  is,  the  members  should  also 
be.  The  gates  being  opened  to  us,  why  should  we  not  enter?  I 
admit  that  there  are  obstacles;  our  passions  are  strong;  the  devil 
tempts  us,  and  the  world  is  around  us  with  all  its  pomps  and  pleasures. 
But  is  it  not  worth  the  pain  to  make  some  efforts  and  to  impose  upon 
ourselves  even  the  most  painful  sacrifices,  when  there  is  question  of 
gaining  an  eternity  of  happiness,  and  of  a  happiness  such  as  it  is  not 
even  possible,  here  below,  to  form  an  idea?  After  all  what  must  we 
do  to  gain  heaven  ?  One  single  thing  :  to  think  often  about  it ;  for  it 
is  impossible  to  think  often  and  seriously  about  it  without  feeling 
ourselves  penetrated  with  zeal,  ardor,  and  invincible  courage.  What 
are,  indeed,  all  the  joys  and  all  the  pleasures  of  this  world,  in  com- 
parison with  that  boundless  ocean  of  joy  and  happiness!  My  son, 
I  conjure  thee,  look  up  to  heaven,  said  the  mother  of  the  Machabees,  to 
the  last  of  her  children,  when  exhorting  him  to  martyrdom  (II.  Mach. 
VII.  28).     I  say  the  same  to  you,  my  brethren,  to  you  all,  in  whatever 


ON  THE   GENERAL  JUDGMENT  ^y 

position  you  may  find  yourselves;  in  sorrow  or  in  joy,  in  temptation 
or  in  calm  ;  look  up  to  heaven,  think  of  heaven,  meditate  on  the  happi- 
ness of  heaven  ;  Sursum  cor  da  ;  and  this  thought  will  sustain  you,  this 
thought  will  encourage  you,  this  thought  will  make  you  triumph  over 
all  obstacles,  and  will  lead  you  to  the  happiness  of  heaven.     Amen. 


XV.  INSTRUCTION 

Seventh  Article  of  the  Creed 

From  Thence  He  Shall  Come  to  Judge  the  Living  and  the  Dead 

It  is  an  article  of  the  faith,  my  brethren,  that  we  all  shall  be 
judged  at  the  hour  of  death.  At  the  moment  our  soul  is  separated 
from  the  body,  it  shall  appear  before  the  supreme  Judge,  who  will 
demand  an  account  of  all  its  thoughts,  words,  and  actions,  and  in  the 
same  instant  we  shall  be  rewarded  or  punished  according  as  we  have 
deserved.  This  particular  judgment  will  be  an  irrevocable  judgment 
and  without  appeal,  because  it  will  be  pronounced  by  a  judge  infin- 
itely knowing  and  incorruptible,  who  has  seen  all,  heard  all,  and 
whose  sentences  are  as  unchangeable  as  God   Himself. 

And  besides  this  particular  judgment,  which  takes  place  between 
God  and  the  soul  of  each  one,  there  will  be  another  judgment,  where 
all  men,  either  in  heaven,  in  purgatory,  or  in  hell,  shall  appear.  This 
judgment  will  be  held  by  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  appearing  in  all  His 
glory  and  majesty,  surrounded  by  the  heavenly  court ;  but  this  public 
and  solemn  judgment  will  take  place  at  the  end  of  the  world. 

The  Apostles'  Creed  teaches  this  when  it  says  that  the  Saviour 
will  come  down  from  heaven  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead. 
He  will  come  to  judge  the  living,  that  is,  those  who  shall  be  living 
at  the  end  of  the  world,  or,  according  to  another  less  literal  interpre- 
tation, those  who  have  died  in  the  state  of  grace;  He  will  judge  the 
dead,  that  is,  those  who  have  died  before  the  last  day,  or  those  who 
have  died  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin  and  are  dead  to  grace. 

Oh!  how  different  will  be  this  second  coming  of  the  Son  of  God 
from  the  first !     In  the  first,  Jesus  appeared  in  the  poorest  and  humblest 


78 


FIRST  PART.      XV.   INSTRUCTION 


state  one  can  imagine ;  but  in  His  second  coming  He  will  judge  all 
men,  and  will  judge  them  with  such  pomp  and  grandeur  that,  as 
Scripture  says,  the  powers  of  heaven  shall  be  moved  (Matt,  xxiv.  29); 
and  every  one  shall  confess  Him  to  be  the  Master  of  the  universe. 

Undoubtedly,  my  brethren,  the  General  Judgment  at  the  end  of 
the  world  will  be  only  a  solemn  ratification  of  the  first,  which  was 
rendered  at  the  hour  of  death.  Nevertheless,  it  is  necessary  that  it 
should  take  place,  and  why?  For  three  reasons  :  ist.  That  justice  may 
be  rendered  to  everybody.  There  are  upon  earth  sinners  who  are 
venerated  as  saints,  and  saints  who  are  despised  as  sinners.  Is  it  not 
just  that  the  hypocrisy  of  the  one  and  the  innocence  of  the  other 
should  be  unveiled  before  all  men?  2d.  How  many  crimes  and  how 
many  virtues  there  are  which  will  have  their  full  consummation  only 
at  the  end  of  the  world,  the  virtues  of  an  apostle,  for  instance,  or  the 
crimes  of  a  heresiarch,  and  which,  consequently,  can  be  punished  or 
rewarded  only  then  in  their  just  proportion !  3d.  Finally,  on  seeing 
so  many  wicked  persons  in  prosperity  and  happiness,  whilst  so  many 
holy  souls  are  sighing  in  want  and  misery,  Ave  are  often  tempted  to 
accuse  the  Providence  of  God.  Why  should  there  not  be  a  day  when 
the  divine  wisdom  will  show  itself  in  its  full  glory  and  splendor,  and 
where  all  shall  learn  that  if  God  sometimes  seems  to  punish  or  to 
reward  wrongfully  here  below,  it  is  only  to  show  more  clearly  His 
rewards  or  punishments  in  eternity? 

Let  us  meditate  to-day,  my  brethren,  on  this  fearful  truth,  and  let 
us  review  what  revelation  teaches  us,  either  about  the  signs  preceding 
this  judgment,  or  about  the  events  that  will  accompany  it,  or  about 
the  terrible  sentence  that  will  follow  it. 

II.  And,  first,  what  are  the  signs  that  will  precede  the  Last  Judg- 
ment? The  Gospel  thus  names  them:  ist.  There  shall  be  a  great 
weakness  of  faith,  so  great  that  the  Son  of  Man  will  hardly  find 
believers  on  earth.  The  Sacraments  shall  be  abandoned,  the  Sundays 
profaned,  the  churches  deserted,  luxury  and  debauchery  at  their 
height.  This  will  be  the  beginning  of  the  end.  2d.  The  coming 
of  the  Anti-Christ,  a  powerful  and  impious  man  who  will  try  to 
make  himself  adored  as  a  God,  or  a  monster  who,  in  his  infernal 
hatred  against  religion,  will  do  all  in  his  power  to  complete  the 
corruption  of  men.  Persecutions  against  the  Church  and  against 
Christ  will  be  so  violent  that,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  noth- 
ing like  it  will  have  been  seen.     The  maxims  and  doctrines  of  the 


ON   THE   GENERAL  JUDGMENT  ^^ 

Anti-Christ  will,  nevertheless,  be  so  captious,  and  he  will  do  sVich 
wonderful  things  and  work  such  prodigies,  that  the  elect  themselves 
would  be  seduced  if  God  did  not  send  Elias  and  Enoch  to  confirm 
them :  For  there  shall  arise  false  Christs  and  false  prophets  and 
shall  show  great  signs  and  wonders,  insomuch  as  to  deceive,  if  possi- 
ble, even  the  elect  (Alatt.  xxiv.  24),  Let  us  pray,  my  brethren,  that 
the  Lord  may  not  reserve  us  for  this  time  of  seduction  and  scandal. 
3d.  There  shall  be  wars,  famines,  pestilence,  and  earthquakes  which 
will  ravage  and  overthrow  all  the  world.  Battlefields  will  flow  with 
blood;  and  the  famines  will  be  so  frightful  that  mothers  will  kill  their 
own  children  and  eat  their  flesh.  4th.  Whilst  the  earth  shall  be  in 
mourning  and  consternation,  there  shall  be  still  more  frightful  signs 
in  heaven.  The  sun  shall  be  darkened,  the  moon  shall  cover  itself 
with  a  bloody  veil,  the  stars  shall  fall  from  the  sky;  in  a  word,  all 
the  celestial  powers  shall  be  in  confusion  and  disorder.  5th.  Finally, 
when  the  last  moment  shall  have  arrived,  God  shall  wrap  the  entire 
world  in  flames  which  will  consume  all  in  an  instant;  and,  the  world 
having  been  thus  destroyed  by  fire.  He  shall  send  His  angels  to  call 
all  men  before  His  judgment  seat.  "  Go,"  He  will  tell  them,  ^^minis- 
ters of  my  glory,  sound  your  trumpet  to  the  four  corners  of  the  earth 
and  to  the  bottom  of  the  abysses,  and  announce  to  all  that  sleep  in 
the  dust  that  the  hour  of  judgment  is  come.'*  And  at  the  same 
moment  the  angels  shall  go  to  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  and 
shall  sound  their  trumpets,  crying  out  :  Arise, ye  dead,  and  come  to  the 
judgment !  And  immediately  the  graves  shall  open,  and  the  earth  and 
the  sea  shall  give  forth  the  bodies  that  sleep  in  their  bosom  since  the 
beginning  of  time  ;  and  the  souls  descended  from  heaven  or  delivered 
from  the  flames  of  purgatory  or  come  forth  from  hell,  shall  be  reunited 
with  their  bodies ;  and  thus  reunited  in  soul  and  body  all  men  shall 
be  assembled  before  the  Sovereign  Judge  in  the  valley  of  Josaphat. 

Oh !  how  terrible  shall  be  those  last  days,  my  brethren !  How 
can  we  think  of  them  without  being  seized  with  fright  and  terror? 
You,  especially,  sinners  that  listen  to  me  here,  do  you  think  of  them, 
do  you  believe  in  them?  But  let  us  continue,  for  this  is  only  the 
beginning  of  the  great  day  of  divine  justice. 

III.  When  all  men,  obedient  to  the  voice  of  the  angels,  shall  be 
assembled  for  this  solemn  judgment,  the  cross  of  Jesus  will  appear  in 
the  sky  more  brilliant  than  the  sun,  and  Jesus  Himself,  accompanied 
by  the  entire  celestial  court  and  surrounded  with  glory  and  majesty. 


3o  FIRST   PART.      XV.    INSTRUCTION 

will  come  and  sit  on  His  throne  in  the  midst  of  that  numberless  crowd 
aw^aiting  the  judgment  which  shall  settle  their  lot  forever.  He  will 
begin  by  commanding  the  angels  to  separate  the  good  from  the  bad, 
as  a  shepherd  separates  the  goats  from  the  sheep,  placing  the  good  at 
His  right  hand  and  the  wicked  at  His  left,  according  as  the  glorious 
or  frightful  appearance  of  their  bodies  shall  signify  whether  they  are 
of  the  number  of  the  elect  or  of  the  damned ;  and  then  Jesus  will 
proceed  with  the  judgment.  And  here,  my  brethren,  you  must  not 
imagine  that  the  discussion  will  be  a  long  one.  Jesus  needs  only  to 
open  the  book  of  life  and  death  in  which  are  inscribed,  day  by  day, 
and  hour  by  hour,  all  our  actions,  all  our  words,  and  even  all  our 
thoughts,  good  and  bad.  He  will  lay  this  great  book  before  our  eyes, 
and  there  we  shall  see,  in  an  instant,  all  the  evil  we  have  done  and  all 
the  good  we  omitted.  This  book  will  be  like  a  vast  looking-glass  in 
which  the  Son  of  Justice  will  show  us,  in  a  tivinkling  of  an  eye 
(I.  Cor.  XV.  52),  all  our  vices  and  all  our  virtues.  And,  besides,  we 
shall  read  not  only  our  own  sins,  but  we  shall  read  therein,  also,  those 
of  others ;  you  shall  see  mine,  as  I  shall  see  yours;  parents  shall  see 
the  sins  of  their  children,  and  children  shall  see  the  sins  of  their 
parents;  ^ve  shall  see  the  sins  of  all  men  :  Liber  scriptus  proferetur, 
ift  quo  totu7n  continetur  unde  mundus  Judicetur.  What  confusion  for 
those  hypocrites  who  had  taken  such  great  care  to  hide  their  shame 
and  their  sins,  even  from  the  ears  of  a  charitable  confessor.  In  this 
book  of  life,  which  will  be  written  in  fiery  letters,  we  shall  see  all 
that  has  not  been  effaced  through  penance ;  all,  even  the  most  secret 
thoughts  and  affections  :  J^or  nothing  is  covered  that  shall  not  be 
revealed  (Matt.  x.  26);  all,  even  the  evil  which  we  ourselves  have  not 
committed,  but  which  we  caused  others  to  commit,  or  which  we  did 
not  hinder  them  from  committing  when  we  could  have  done  so ;  all, 
even  the  good  which  we  should  have  done  and  which  we  omitted  to 
do,  or  which  we  did  badly. 

What  a  severe  account  we  shall  have  to  render  at  this  last  day ! 
Do  you  think  of  this,  you  sinners,  who  live  for  so  long  a  time  in  the 
filth  of  vice?  Do  you  think  of  this,  you  lukewarm  and  indifferent 
souls,  who  do  nothing,  absolutely  nothing,  for  heaven?  Perhaps  we 
might  feel  assured,  if  on  that  day  we  could  find  some  one  to  take  up 
our  defense.  But  what  shall  we  say  before  a  Judge  who  has  seen  and 
heard  everything,  and  what  excuse  can  we  give  for  the  crimes  we 
have  committed  by  desire? 


ON  THE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT  8l 

My  brethren,  it  will  not  be  with  God's  tribunal  as  with  the  tribu- 
nals of  men.  There  will  be  no  need  of  any  accuser,  of  any  witness ; 
our  own  conscience  shall  be  the  accuser,  and  crushed  under  the  weight 
of  evidence,  w^e  shall  be  the  first  to  condemn  ourselves. 

IV.  The  sins  of  all  men  being  revealed  before  the  whole  world, 
the  Sovereign  Judge  will  rise  from  His  throne,  and  turning  to  those 
at  His  right,  will  say  to  them  in  a  tone  of  ineffable  goodness  :  Come, 
ye  blessed  of  my  leather,  come,  my  friends;  you  have  carried  my  cross 

upon  this  earth  of  exile  and  pilgrimage  long  enough;  come  and  possess 
the  kingdom  prepared  for  yo7i  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  (Matt. 
XXV.  34).  You  holy  apostles,  illustrious  martyrs,  zealous  confessors, 
pure  virgins,  come  and  enjoy  the  reward  which  you  have  merited  by 
your  virtues.  Then  turning  to  those  at  His  left.  He  will  say  to  them 
with  a  voice  full  of  indignation  and  wrath  :  Depart  from  me,  you 
cursed,  into  everlasti?ig  fire  (Matt.  xxv.  41).  You  have  denied  My 
authority,  you  have  trodden  under  foot  My  commandments,  you  have 
abused  My  graces.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  came  upon  earth  to  show 
you  the  way  of  salvation  ;  it  was  in  vain  that  I  sent  you  zealous 
ministers  to  remind  you  of  your  duties ;  it  was  in  vain  that  I  fur- 
nished to  you  all  the  possible  means  to  come  to  Me.  You  have 
despised  all,  you  wished  to  listen  only  to  your  passions,  even  at  the 
hour  of  death  you  remained  plunged  in  a  guilty  indifference,  or  you 
have  even  continued  to  hate  and  to  blaspheme  Me.  Depart  from  Me, 
you  cursed,  to  receive  in  hell  the  just  punishment  of  your  crimes. 

And,  at  the  same  time,  the  elect  of  the  Lord,  shall  rise  with  Him 
into  heaven  to  enjoy  forever  its  ineffable  delights ;  and  the  wicked 
shall  fall  into  the  eternal  abyss  of  hell,  never  more  to  leave  it. 

V.  This,  my  brethren,  according  to  the  Scripture  is  what  will  pass 
on  the  great  day  of  judgment.  These  are  the  circumstances  attending 
the  second  coming  of  Jesus  Christ  upon  earth  ;  day  of  wrath  and  of 
vengeance  for  sinners,  but  day  of  joy  and  triumph  for  the  just, —  terri- 
ble and  frightful  day  for  the  one,  day  of  unspeakable  consolation  for 
the  other!  When  shall  this  great  day  come?  Ah!  my  brethren,  we 
do  not  know,  because  Jesus  was  not  pleased  to  make  it  known  to  us, 
but  it  is  certain  that  it  will  come  and  that  it  will  come,  perhaps,  even 
sooner  than  we  think.  At  least,  when  we  see  so  little  faith  upon 
earth  to-day,  when  we  see  the  disorders  and  unheard  scandals  of 
every  day,  the  persecution  of  the  Church,  the  overthrow  of  empires 
and    kingdoms,    the    bloody    wars    which    tear  nations    asunder,   the 

6 


82  FIRST  PART.     XVI.   INSTRUCTION 

subversive  doctrines  which  undermine  society,  and  hear  the  rumbling 
of  that  storm  which  threatens  to  sweep  away  all  society,  we  might  be 
tempted  to  believe  that  we  are  even  now  near  the  end  of  the  world. 

However  this  may  be,  the  end  of  the  world  arrives  every  day  for 
many;  death  may  surprise  us  at  any  moment,  and  our  deathbed  will 
be  the  first  tribunal  where  we  shall  be  judged.  Suppose  that  this 
judgment  should  take  place  for  us  at  the  present  hour,  would  we  be 
prepared  to  undergo  it?  On  what  side  would  our  conscience  place  us 
at  this  moment?  Would  it  be  on  the  right,  or  on  the  left?  Ah!  the 
judgment  of  God  is  so  severe  and  so  dreadful ;  if  we  have  to  render 
an  account  of  everything,  even  of  an  idle  word ;  if,  according  to  the 
language  of  faith,  the  great  Judge  sees  spots  even  in  the  sun;  if  He 
judges  even  justice  itself,  what  have  we  not  to  fear,  we  miserable  sin- 
ners, who  swallow  iniquity  like  water,  and  whose  crimes  surpass, 
perhaps,  the  number  of  hairs  on  our  heads!  Let  us  tremble  at  the 
thought  of  this  judgment.  The  greatest  saints  have  done  this. 
St.  Jerome  tells  us  that  he  always  seemed  to  hear  the  trumpet  calling 
the  dead  from  their  graves.  St.  Gregory  of  Nazianzen  and  St.  Chry- 
sostom  often  shed  tears  in  thinking  of  the  last  day.  St.  Agathon, 
shortly  before  his  death,  passed  three  days  immovable  with  fright  and 
stupor ;  and  w^hen  he  was  asked,  after  having  recovered  his  senses, 
why  he  was  so  much  afraid,  ^^Ah !  '^  he  said,  ^^  I  have  assisted  at  the 
judgment  of  God,  and  oh,  how  different  are  his  judgments  from  those 
of  men !  **  Let  us  think  often  of  the  last  judgment,  my  brethren !  Let 
us  prepare  for  it,  and  for  this  purpose  let  us  commence  by  judging 
ourselves  severely,  and  by  placing  ourselves  now  in  the  state  in  which 
we  should  like  to  be  found  at  death. 


XVL  INSTRUCTION 

Eighth  Article  of  the  Creed 

/  Believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost 

In  this  instruction  we  have  three  things  to  explain  :  what  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  in  Himself,  what  He  is  with  regard  to  us,  what  we 
should   do   in   order  to   draw  Him   down  upon    us   and   to    preserve 


ON  THE  HOLY  GHOST 


83 


Him  in  our  souls.  Important  subjects  which  will  demand  our  full 
attention. 

I.  Faith  teaches  that  there  is  a  Holy  Ghost.  The  Holy  Scriptures 
make  mention  thereof,  so  to  say,  on  every  page.  He  it  was,  accord- 
ing to  the  account  of  Moses,  who  in  the  days  of  creation  moved  over 
the  waters  and  covered  them,  in  some  sort,  by  His  shadow,  in  order 
to  give  them  fruitfulness;  it  was  He  who  spoke  with  the  ancient  pa- 
triarchs Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  and  Joseph,  and  led 
and  upheld  their  steps  in  the  painful  exile  of  this  life ;  through  His 
inspiration  Moses  and  all  the  great  men  who  came  after  him  governed 
the  people  of  God  with  so  much  wisdom ;  it  was  under  His  dictation 
that  all  the  prophets  wrote. 

On  opening  the  New  Testament,  we  read  that  it  was  the  Holy 
Ghost  who  formed  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  womb  of  Mary; 
that  he  descended  in  the  form  of  a  dove  upon  our  divine  Savior  at 
His  baptism,  and  upon  the  apostles  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  Our 
Lord  often  spoke  of  Him,  and  promised  to  send  Him  upon  earth, 
in  order  not  to  leave  His  apostles  orphans,  after  His  own  ascension 
into  heaven. 

The  existence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is,  therefore,  an  incontestible 
truth,  and  the  apostles  have  inserted  it  in  the  Creed  as  one  of  the 
fundamental  truths  which  we  must  believe  :  /  believe  in  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

But  who  is  the  Holy  Ghost?  He  is  the  third  person  of  the  Holy 
Trinity,  truly  existing,  and  really  distinct  from  the  Father  and  the 
Son.  By  the  word  person  we  understand  an  individual  substance 
which  wills,  speaks,  acts,  thinks,  and  reasons.  Now,  do  we  not  see 
in  the  sacred  books  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  endowed  with  intelligence 
and  will,  that  He  speaks,  enlightens,  teaches,  and  that  He  is  even  the 
principle  and  the  source  of  all  light,  of  all  consolation,  and  of  all 
truth?  Do  not  those  words,  alone,  of  our  Lord  to  His  disciples,  on 
the  point  of  leaving  them :  My  Father  will  send  you  another  Para- 
clete (John  XVI.  16),  point  out  a  person,  a  Consoler  really  distinct 
from  the  Son,  who  announces  Him,  and  from  the  Father,  who  is  to 
send  Him? 

The  Holy  Ghost  is,  therefore,  really  a  divine  person,  and  not  a 
simple  attribute  of  the  divinity,  as  certain  heretics  have  pretended ; 
and  this  person  is  really  distinct  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  as 
these  latter  are  distinct  from  each  other. 


84 


FIRST   PART.      XVI.    INSTRUCTION 


The  Holy  Ghost  is  God  like  the  Father  and  the  Son;  this  has  been 
the  constant  belief  of  the  Church.  He  partakes  of  all  the  perfections 
of  both  Father  and  Son.  The  Father  and  Son  are  eternal,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  also  eternal.  The  Father  and  Son  are  almighty,  it 
is  the  same  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  There  is  nothing  unequal,  nothing 
inferior  in  these  three  adorable  persons.  All  three  are  equally  infinite 
in  perfections,  in  elevation,  and  in  authority.  When  we  call  the  Holy 
Ghost  the  third  person,  it  is  only  on  account  of  His  origin,  as  we  will 
explain  further  on.  This  is  why  we  render  to  the  Holy  Ghost  the 
same  homage  and  adoration  that  w^e  pay  to  the  Father  and  the  Son  : 
Glory  be  to  the  Father^  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  rea- 
son is,  that  these  three  persons,  although  distinct  from  one  another, 
form,  nevertheless,  one  and  the  same  God,  because  all  three  have 
together  one  and  the  same  divinity.  The  Father  is  God,  the  Son  is 
God,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  God,  but  they  are  always  one  and  the  same 
God.  There  are  three  who  give  testimony  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the 
Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  (John  v.  7). 

As  we  have  explained,  my  brethren,  in  speaking  of  the  mystery  of 
the  Holy  Trinity,  the  Father  begot  His  Son  in  contemplating  Him- 
self, and  the  Father  and  the  Son  produced  the  Holy  Ghost  in  loving 
each  other;  so  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  nothing  but  the  consubstantial 
love  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  just  as  the  Son  is  nothing  but  the 
Word,  the  thought  or  consubstantial  contemplation  of  the  Father.  And 
this  is  what  constitutes  the  most  essential  difference  between  the  three 
adorable  persons;  for  the  Father  who  begets  is  not  begotten,  the  Son 
who  is  begotten  does  not  beget,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  who  is  not  be- 
gotten, but  who  is  produced,  does  neither  beget  nor  produce.  Great 
and  sublime  truths!  We  cannot,  undoubtedly,  comprehend  them,  for 
God,  alone,  can  comprehend  Himself,  but  we  must  believe  them  such, 
because  God  has  so  revealed  to  us. 

n.  What  are  the  graces  which  the  Holy  Ghost  brings  to  our  souls  ? 
The  Catechism  tells  us  that  He  sanctifies  us,  and  makes  us  live  a 
spiritual  life ;  two  wonderful  effects,  two  wonderful  operations,  which 
it  is  important  for  us  to  understand. 

I  St.  The  Holy  Ghost  sanctifies  us,  and  how?  By  purifying  us  from 
our  sins,  and  by  implanting  in  our  hearts  that  charity  which  renders 
us  agreeable  to  God.  He  purifies  us  from  our  sins  first  by  the  holy 
inspirations  and  by  the  graces  of  conversion  and  of  salvation  which 
He  grants  us;  secondly,  by  the  Sacraments  to  which  the  remission  of 


ON   THE   HOLY   GHOST 


85 


sins  is  attached,  such  as  baptism  and  penance ;  third,  by  rooting  out 
from  our  hearts  the  inclinations  of  our  corrupt  nature,  and  by  estab- 
lishing in  them  the  opposite  virtues.  When  the  heart  is  thus  free 
from  the  bonds  of  sin,  from  all  affection  for  sin,  the  Holy  Ghost  en- 
riches it  with  His  most  beautiful  and  magnificent  gift,  sanctifying 
grace.  This  grace  clothes  our  souls  with  a  ravishing  beauty  and 
renders  them  agreeable  to  God,  and  gives  them  a  right  to  the  celestial 
inheritance.  By  it  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  to  reside  in  us,  to  establish 
His  kingdom  in  our  hearts,  and  to  pour  out  His  gifts  on  us.  It  is  thus 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  sanctifies  us,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  He  is 
called  the  Spirit  of  Sanctijication.  It  is  from  Him  that  all  holiness 
and  all  virtue  derive  their  source  ;  it  was  He  who  made  the  martyrs, 
the  confessors,  and  the  virgins.  If  there  are  still  upon  earth  holy 
souls  who,  by  their  piety  and  good  works,  preserve  the  world  from 
the  scourges  of  the  celestial  wrath,  it  is  only  through  the  grace  of  co- 
operation of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

2d.  Not  only  does  the  Holy  Ghost  sanctify  us,  but  He  makes  us  live 
a  spiritual  life,  and  maintains  us  in  virtue  through  the  graces  He 
grants  us.  These  graces,  or  special  favors,  we  call  the  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  They  are  seven  in  number,  namely  :  The  gift  of  wis- 
dom, which  makes  us  prefer  God  and  the  things  of  God ;  the  gift  of 
intelligence,  which  makes  us  know^  and  believe  the  truths  of  salva- 
tion ;  the  gift  of  counsel,  which  shows  us  the  way  to  heaven,  and 
guides  us  in  our  progress ;  the  gift  of  science,  which  teaches  us  to 
distinguish  good  from  evil,  and  gives  correct  ideas  of  the  grandeur  of 
God  ;  the  gift  of  strength,  which  fills  us  with  courage  and  energy 
to  resist  sin  and  to  overcome  the  obstacles  which  stand  in  the  way  of 
our  salvation ;  the  gift  of  piety,  ^vhich  moves  us  to  fulfill  cheerfully 
and  with  a  religious  spirit,  our  duties  towards  God,  towards  our 
neighbor,  and  towards  ourselves;  and,  finally,  the  gift  oifear,  which 
imprints  in  our  souls  a  great  respect  for  God's  majesty  and  a  holy  fear 
of  His  judgments. 

III.  These  were  the  wonderful  gifts  which  the  apostles  received 
in  so  brilliant  and  striking  a  manner  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  The 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  have  preserved  to  us  the  account  of  this  remark- 
able event.  It  was  on  the  tenth  day  when  the  Apostles  had  been 
shut  up  in  the  Cenacle,  with  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  the  disciples,  ac- 
cording to  the  order  the  Lord  had  given  them,  that  suddenly  a  great 
noise  was  heard,  like  that  of  a  violent  wind,  which  filled  the  whole 


86  FIRST   PART.      XVI.   INSTRUCTION 

house,  and  they  saw  fiery  tongues  which  divided  themselves  and  sat 
on  each  of  them.  This  violent  wind  was  a  token  of  the  presence  of 
the  Deity,  as  it  had  mainfested  itself  on  Mount  Sinai,  amid  thunder 
and  lightning.  The  fiery  tongues  symbolized  the  effects  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  should  produce  in  the  Apostles ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
like  a  luminous  and  ardent  fire  that  enlightens  the  spirit  and  enkindles 
the  heart. 

Indeed,  the  apostles  had  hardly  received  the  Holy  Ghost  under 
the  different  emblems,  when  they  began  to  speak  in  many  languages, 
so  that  the  various  peoples  assembled  on  this  day  at  Jerusalem  from 
all  parts  of  the  world  to  celebrate  the  Pentecost,  understood  them  per- 
fectly, and  in  their  astonishment  cried  out :  Behold,  are  not  all  these 
that  speak,  Galileans?  And  how  have  we  heard  every  man  our  own 
tongue  wherein  we  are  born?  (Acts  ii.  7,  8,  12.) 

The  gift  of  tongues  was  not  the  only  effect  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
produced  in  the  Apostles.  Until  now  they  had  been  so  simple  and 
ignorant,  that  they  could  not  understand  the  doctrine  of  their  Divine 
Master.  But  hardly  had  they  been  enlightened  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
when  they  found  themselves  enriched  with  the  most  sublime  knowl- 
edge, and  instructed  in  the  most  profound  mysteries.  In  an  instant 
they  had  learned  infinitely  more  than  the  philosophers  and  the  learned 
men  of  antiquity  had  during  centuries.  And  this  was  not  all.  On 
that  memorable  day  the  Holy  Ghost  filled  them  with  such  strength 
and  courage  that,  whilst  before  even  St.  Peter  was  so  weak  and  timid 
that  he  trembled  at  the  voice  of  a  servant,  henceforth  nothing  could 
hinder  them  from  proclaiming  their  faith  everywhere,  even  before  the 
most  cruel  tyrants;  and  in  spite  of  threats  and  the  fear  of  the  most 
terrible  torments,  they  preached  Jesus  crucified. 

IV.  The  Holy  Ghost  produces  these  wonderful  effects  in  us  as  in 
the  apostles,  if  we  are  well  disposed  to  receive  Him;  not,  indeed, 
with  the  same  brilliancy  and  the  same  abundance,  because  we  have 
not  the  same  mission  to  fulfill,  but  in  each  according  to  the  measure 
of  his  wants. 

Is  it  necessary  to  tell  you  what  need  we  all  have  of  the  assistance 
and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost?  Without  Him  we  would  be  nothing 
but  ignorance  and  corruption.  Without  His  lights  we  would  not 
know  what  God  is,  and  what  we  ourselves  are,  or  what  will  become 
of  us.  We  would  not  know  the  truths  we  should  believe,  and  the 
duties  we  should  practice.     Without  the  help  of  His  grace,  inclined 


ON   THE   HOLY   GHOST 


87 


to  evil  as  we  are,  we  could  neither  avoid  sin,  nor  efface  it  from  our 
soul,  if  we  had  the  misfortune  to  commit  it.  We  could  not  even  have 
a  thought  meritorious  for  salvation.  But  what  should  we  do  to  draw 
down  upon  us  this  divine  Spirit?  Three  things  are  necessary:  The 
first  is  to  be  recollected.  The  Holy  Ghost  never  communicates  with 
souls  that  live  in  noise  and  dissipation  :  The  Lord  is  not  in  the  wind 
(III.  Ki.  XIX.  11).  This  is  why  the  Apostles,  when  they  wished  to 
prepare  themselves  to  receive  Him,  retired  into  the  Cenacle,  where 
they  remained  shut  up  during  ten  days.  It  is  for  this  reason  that 
every  day  we  see  pious  souls  separating  themselves  from  the  world, 
burying  themselves  in  retreat  in  order  to  occupy  themselves  solely 
with  God  and  with  their  salvation.  Undoubtedly,  these  are  examples 
which  you  cannot  generally  imitate  in  your  state  of  life.  But  if  you 
cannot  leave  the  world,  can  you  not,  at  least,  avoid  its  distracting 
entertainments.''  Can  you  not,  from  time  to  time,  forget  your  affairs 
and  your  pursuits  .f*  Can  you  not  at  times  separate  yourselves  from  the 
world  in  spirit  and  heart? 

The  second  disposition  is  prayer.  Although  the  Holy  Ghost 
knows  our  miseries  and  needs.  He  wants  us  to  confide  them  to  Him ; 
such  is  the  order  of  Providence,  and  God  ordinarily  grants  His  graces 
only  to  those  that  ask  for  them.  Look  at  the  Apostles  in  the  Cenacle  ! 
What  prayers,  what  sighs  to  draw  down  upon  them  the  divine  spirit 
who  should  be  to  them  a  father,  a  master,  a  liberator,  and  protector; 
who  should  enlighten  them,  and  give  them  all  the  strength  necessary 
to  fulfill  the  mission  with  which  they  were  charged!  My  brethren, 
every  time  you  stand  in  need  of  particular  graces,  for  example,  in 
preparation  for  the  Sacraments,  or  in  the  choice  of  a  state  of  life,  and 
in  many  other  circumstances,  pray  to  the  Holy  Ghost  to  come  down 
in  your  souls,  in  order  to  enlighten  you  and  to  strengthen  you. 
Remember  that  prayer  is  ordinarily  the  necessary  condition  to  draw 
down  upon  us  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  prayers  ^*  Come,  Holy  Ghost, *^ 
and  that  which  begins  ^*  Come,  Holy  Spirit'*  are  excellent  formulas 
which  we  would  do  well  to  recite  often,  and  which  good  Christians 
never  forget  to  address  to  God  to  implore  the  assistance  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  all  their  necessities. 

The  third  disposition  is  purity  of  soul.  All  your  prayers  and  all 
your  efforts  would  be  useless,  if,  at  the  same  time,  you  did  not  try 
to  purify  your  hearts  from  all  that  could  raise  any  obstacle  to  the 
working  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     The  great  obstacle  which  He  meets 


88  FIRST  PART.      XVII.   INSTRUCTION 

in  our  hearts,  is  the  affection  for  mortal  sin.  How  can  this  Spirit,, 
who  is  holiness  itself,  dwell  in  a  soul  where  the  devil  reigns,  where 
pride,  hatred,  or  profanity  hold  full  sway?  JVo,  no,  says  the  Lord, 
Afy  spirit  shall  not  remain  in  carnal  man  (Gen.  vi.  3).  The  Holy 
Ghost  is  that  chaste  dove,  prefigured  by  the  dove  of  the  Deluge, 
which  never  puts  its  foot  in  the  mire,  that  is,  in  souls  filled  with 
corruption.  It  is  true  that  the  Holy  Spirit  purifies  us  from  our 
sins,  but  this  spirit  of  grace  cannot  ptirify  us  from  our  sins,  if  we 
do  not  ardently  desire  it.  We  must,  therefore,  see  what  the  state  of 
our  soul  is,  to  what  vices  it  is  subject,  and  try  to  expiate  our  faults 
by  a  good  and  sincere  penance.  If  our  dispositions  are  good,  and  our 
resolutions  firm,  and  if  we  sincerely  desire  to  correct  ourselves,  the 
Holy  Ghost  will  come  to  our  assistance,  and  will  complete  the  work 
which  we  have  commenced  with  the  help  of  grace.  Let  us  render 
to  the  Holy  Ghost  the  homage  that  is  due  to  Him,  let  us  implore  Him 
for  the  graces  we  need,  let  us  thank  Him  for  those  He  has  granted  us» 
and  let  us  be  careful  to  make  a  good  use  of  them.     Amen. 


XVII.  INSTRUCTION 

Ninth  Article  of  the  Creed 

/  Believe  in  the  Holy  Catholic  Church.     The  Comtnunion  of  Saints 

The  word  Church  signifies  a  reunion,  an  assembly,  a  society.  It  is. 
used,  also,  for  the  place  where  the  assemblies  of  the  faithful  are  held. 
Thus,  this  house  in  which  we  are  now  gathered  is  called  a  church. 
But  in  the  ninth  article  of  the  Creed,  in  which  we  make  profession  to 
believe  in  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,  the  word  church  signifies  the 
society  of  all  the  faithful,  spread  all  over  the  world,  and  of  which 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  invisible  head,  and  the  Pope  the  visible  head. 

Several  instructions  will  be  necessary  in  order  to  explain  all  the 
subjects  that  belong  to  this  ninth  article.  To-day  I  will  limit  myself 
to  explaining  the  nature  and  the  constitution  of  the  Church. 

I.  The  Church,  we  say,  is  the  society  of  the  faithful  of  which 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  invisible  head,  and  the  Pope  the  visible  head. 


ON  THE   CHURCH 


89 


We  call  the  head  of  a  society  the  one  who  leads  and  directs  it. 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  Church  because  He  is  its  founder,  pre- 
server, and  sanctifier.  He  is  the  invisible  head,  because,  since  His  as- 
cension, He  is  no  longer  visibly  present  upon  earth,  but  watches  over 
His  Church  from  the  right  hand  of  His  Father  in  heaven,  and  governs 
and  preserves  her  though  the  light  and  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Our  Lord  Himself  taught  us  this  when  He  said  that  He  was  the  vine, 
and  that  tve  are  the  branches  (John  xv.  5).  For,  says  St.  Augustine, 
just  as  the  vine  and  the  branches  form  only  one  tree,  and  as  the 
branches  draw  their  life  and  strength  from  the  vine  which  communi- 
cates it  to  them,  so,  also,  we  form  only  one  with  Jesus  Christ  who 
is  our  head,  and  from  whom  flows  all  justification,  as  from  an  inex- 
haustible source. 

However,  our  Saviour,  by  ascending  into  heaven,  did  not  leave  the 
Church,  His  spouse,  in  widowhood ;  for,  besides  being  always  with 
her,  although  in  an  invisible  manner,  through  the  assistance  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  He  has  given  to  it  a  visible  head  who  holds  His  place, 
and  who  acts  in  His  name  and  with  the  same  powers.  This  head 
was  St.  Peter,  the  prince  of  the  Apostles,  to  whom  Christ  gave  the 
keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  and  whom  He  charged  to  feed  both 
the  lambs  and  the  sheep,  that  is,  the  pastors  and  the  faithful,  or  the 
entire  Church ;  and  to-day  it  is  our  Holy  Father,  the  Pope,  who  is  the 
successor  of  St.   Peter. 

II.  But  who  are  the  members  of  the  Church  and  what  are  the  nec- 
essary conditions  of  membership? 

The  members  of  the  Church  are  those  who  have  been  made  Chris- 
tians through  baptism,  and  who  profess  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ. 
All  the  faithful  are  Christians,  but  all  Christians  are  not  the  faithful. 
To  be  of  the  number  of  the  faithful,  four  things  are  necessary:  baptism, 
the  profession  of  the  true  faith,  the  partaking  of  the  same  Sacraments, 
and  submission  to  the  legitimate  pastors. 

1.  Baptism  is  necessary;  for  we  must  be  children  of  God  before 
becoming  children  of  the  Church.  It  follows  that  Jews,  pagans,  and 
infidels  are  not  of  the  number  of  the  faithful,  no  more  than  the  chil- 
dren who,  though  born  of  Christian  parents,  are  not  baptized. 

2.  We  must  profess  the  true  faith,  that  which  God  has  revealed 
to  us,  and  which  is  the  only  faith  worthy  of  our  respect  and  homage. 
We  profess  the  faith  when  we  believe  all  the  truths  which  it  teaches, 
and  when  one  is  subject  to  all  that  it  commands. 


go  FIRST   PART.      XVII.    INSTRUCTION 

To  believe  none  of  the  truths  of  faith,  is  to  be  an  infidel;  to  believe 
only  some,  is  to  be  a  heretic;  and  when  a  person  remains  obstinate  in 
his  errors,  or  manifests  them  exteriorly,  he  is  anathematized  or  excom- 
municated by  the  Church.  And  a  person  once  excommunicated  is 
no  longer  counted  among  the  faithful ;  he  belongs  no  longer  to  the 
Church ;  he  is  outside  her  pale.  Such  are,  in  our  days,  the  Luther- 
ans, the  Calvinists,  the  Anabaptists,  the  Anglicans,  and  the  Jansen- 
ists.  All  have  received  baptism;  but  as  they  continue  to  remain 
obstinate  and  to  deny  truths  which  the  Church  has  formally  defined, 
they  are  driven  from  her  bosom,  and  she  does  not  acknowledge  them 
any  longer  as  her  children. 

As  to  those,  who,  though  believing  all  the  truths  of  faith,  do  not 
practice  its  precepts,  they  can  be  compared  to  dead  branches.  They 
belong,  indeed,  to  the  body  of  the  Church  through  such  exterior  ties 
as  attendance  at  the  divine  service  and  partaking  of  the  Sacraments ; 
but  they  do  not  belong  to  the  soul  of  the  Church,  because  they  have 
no  part  in  her  spiritual   and  interior  goods. 

3.  We  must  partake  of  the  same  sacraments,  or  at  least  not  be 
deprived  by  the  Church  of  the  right  to  receive  them.  To  understand 
this  point,  you  must  know  that  there  are  crimes  so  enormous  that  the 
Church  could  not,  without  danger,  tolerate  those  who  commit  them. 
Either  to  prevent  the  contagion  of  bad  example,  or  to  bring  back  the 
sinner  to  better  sentiments,  she  cuts  him  off  from  the  number  of  her 
children,  as  the  father  who  would  chase  from  his  house  an  unnatural 
son,  who  refuses  to  obey  him ;  or  as  the  surgeon  who  would  cut  off  a 
gangrenous  member,  for  fear  that  the  disease  might  communicate  itself 
to  the  rest  of  the  body.  The  apostle  St.  Paul  pursued  this  course  in 
regard  to  the  incestuous  Corinthian,  and  this  is  what  we  call  the  pen- 
alty of  excommunication.  As  long  as  a  Christian  is  under  this  cen- 
sure, he  cannot  be  admitted  to  the  Sacraments,  nor  assist  at  divine 
service.  Moreover,  he  is  deprived  of  the  prayers  and  suffrages  of  the 
Church,  of  the  indulgences,  of  the  prayers  for  the  dead,  and,  finally,  of 
Christian  burial  when   he  dies. 

4.  We  must  be  subject  to  our  lawful  pastors .  The  legitimate  pas- 
tors are  the  rectors  in  their  parishes,  the  bishops  in  their  dioceses,  and 
our  holy  Father  in  the  whole  Church.  When  Jesus  Christ  founded 
His  Church,  He  established  different  classes  of  pastors,  who  did  not 
all  receive  an  equal  degree  of  power.  There  were  the  seventy-two 
disciples,  who  were  associated  to  the  apostles  for  the  exercise  of  the 


ON   THE   CHURCH  gi 

holy  ministry.  The  bishops  are  the  successors  of  the  apostles,  and 
our  Holy  Father,  the  Pope,  is  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  The  duty 
of  the  priests  is  to  preach,  to  instruct,  and  to  govern  the  parishes  en- 
trusted to  them,  but  they  are  pastors  only  of  the  second  order  and  are 
subject  to  the  inspection  and  authority  of  the  bishops.  The  duty  of 
the  bishops  is  to  instruct  and  to  govern  their  dioceses ;  but  their  au- 
thority is  necessarily  subject  to  that  of  our  Holy  Father,  the  Pope, 
who  governs  the  whole  Church.  Consequently,  not  to  obey  one's 
parish  priest  would  be  to  disobey  the  bishop ;  and  not  to  obey  the 
bishop,  would  be  to  disobey  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  or  rather,  Jesus 
Christ  Himself,  whom  he  represents,  and  who  has  said,  even  in  speak- 
ing to  His  ministers,  that  to  hear  them,  is  to  hear  Him,  and  to  despise 
them,  is  to  despise  Hitn  (Luke  x.  i6). 

Our  lawful  pastors  are,  therefore,  the  parish  priests,  the  bishops, 
and  our  Holy  Father  the  Pope.  These  pastors  are  called  lawful,  in 
order  to  distinguish  them  from  those  false  pastors  who,  without  any 
divine  mission,  intrude  themselves  into  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  as, 
for  instance,  those  constitutional  bishops  and  priests,  in  the  time  of  the 
great  French  Revolution  of  1793,  or  who,  after  having  been  duly 
ordained  and  appointed,  cease  to  be  lawful,  because  by  their  errors  and 
their  insubordination  they  cease  to  be  in  communion  with  the  Church. 
It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  Russian  and  Greek  Churches  no  longer 
form  part  of  the  true  Church ;  they  refuse  to  acknowledge  the  Pope  as 
their  head, 

III.  Such  are,  my  brethren,  the  conditions  necessary  for  one  to  be 
reckoned  among  the  number  of  the  faithful.  We  could,  also,  simply 
say  that  to  be  members  of  the  Church  we  must  be  baptized  and  pro- 
fess the  true  faith  which  Christ  taught.  But  how  can  we  know  the 
true  religion  which  Christ  taught?  We  can  know  it  by  certain  divine 
characteristics  which  are  found  in  no  other  religion.  These  charac- 
teristics are  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophecies  in  regard  to  its  establish- 
ment and  duration  and  in  regard  to  the  life  and  death  of  its  founder, 
the  miracles  which  God  wrought  to  confirm  it,  and  the  holiness  of  the 
doctrine  and  morals  it  teaches.  It  is  my  intention  to  devote  a  special 
instruction  to  an  explanation  of  these  different  proofs  of  the  Catholic 
religion.  As  we  live  in  a  time  when  ignorance  of  religious  truth  is 
quite  common,  and  when  on  account  of  this  ignorance  impiety  makes 
such  rapid  progress,  and  public  attacks  are  made  against  religion,  its 
dogmas,  and  its  practices,  it  would  be  well   to  enlighten  your  faith 


92 


FIRST  PART.      XVII.   INSTRUCTION 


about  this  point.  To-day  I  shall  limit  myself  to  one  subject,  and 
briefly  show  you  the  necessity  of  religion.  This  will  serve  as  a  pre- 
amble to  what  I  shall  explain  to  you  later  on. 

Must  there  be  a  religion,  that  is,  a  worship  which  imposes  belief 
upon  us  and  prescribes  duties  towards  God,  towards  our  neighbor, 
and  towards  ourselves? 

Yes,  my  brethren,  there  must  be  a  religion,  as  there  must  be  a 
God  —  a  God  infinitely  great,  wise,  and  perfect,  the  creator  of  all 
things  and  of  man  in  particular.  He  could  not  have  created  man 
for  any  other  purpose  than  to  be  revered  and  glorified  by  him;  for 
what  other  reason  worthy  of  God  could  He  have  given  man  a  soul 
so  intelligent,  and  a  heart  so  susceptible  of  gratitude  and  love?  But 
since  God  has  created  man  for  His  own  service  and  glory,  should  He 
not  have  revealed  to  him  at  the  same  time  the  manner  of  rendering 
this  homage  to  Him  ?  Should  He  not  have  given  him  command- 
ments? And  should  He  not- have  sanctioned  these  laws  by  punish- 
ments and  rewards?  All  this  God  did;  and  this  worship,  these  laws, 
these  dogmas  of  a  future  life,  constitute  what  we  call  religion.  This 
religion  v^^as  necessary  in  order  that  we  might  render  to  God  the 
homage  w^e  ow^e  Him,  and  it  vsras  indispensable  that  this  religion 
should  be  revealed  by  God,  because  v^^ithout  a  divine  revelation,  we 
could  never  have  been  certain  either  of  the  dogmas,  or  the  precepts, 
or  the  religious  practices.  We  would  have  been  exposed  to  all  kinds 
of  superstitions  and  errors,  as  was  the  case  w^ith  all  those  nations  that 
did  not  take  faith  for  guide,  but  who  preferred  to  follow  only  the 
light  of  their  own  erring  reason.  But  religion  was  not  only  necessary 
in  order  that  God  might  be  served  and  adored  as  He  ought  to  be; 
it  was  necessary,  also,  to  man,  in  order  to  subdue  his  passions,  and 
to  check  the  disorders  to  which  he  might  abandon  himself.  Indeed, 
my  brethren,  if  there  were  no  religion,  if  there  were  no  heaven, 
no  hell,  what  could  keep  man  to  his  duty?  What  could  hinder  him 
from  following  the  course  of  cupidity,  of  pride,  of  intemperance,  and 
debauchery?  Would  human  justice  be  able  to  check  the  passions 
of  man?  It  niight  prevent  public  crimes  to  some  extent,  but  what 
would  secret  crimes  have  to  fear?  Would  natural  reason  be  a  safe- 
guard? But  reason  often  confounds  itself  Avith  passion,  and  finds 
a  hundred  excuses  even  for  the  most  guilty  excesses.  No,  believe  me, 
without  religion  there  would  be  no  justice,  no  charity,  no  shame  in 
the  world.     Without  religion  there  would  be  no  respect  for  property, 


ON  THE  CHURCH  p2 

no  more  generosity  between  enemies,  no  more  security  for  life,  no 
more  fidelity  in  marriage.  Take  away  religion,  and  society  would 
become  impossible  ;  the  earth  would  become  the  abode  of  savages, 
and  man  would  become  worse  than  the  brute.  The  great  French 
Revolution  was  a  sad  proof  of  all  this.  Priests  were  put  to  death, 
the  churches  were  locked  up,  and  the  worship  of  God  was  replaced 
by  the  homage  paid  to  the  goddess  of  reason,  and  what  was  the 
result?  Ah!  read  history,  read  about  those  times  of  terror  when 
neither  life  nor  property  was  secure,  when  guillotines  were  erected 
everywhere,  when  the  prisons  were  filled  with  innocent  victims, 
when  vice  raised  its  head,  and  virtue  was  obliged  to  hide  itself! 

Yes,  my  brethren,  religion  is  indispensable,  and  when  I  say  reli- 
gion, I  mean  the  true  religion  revealed  by  God,  the  religion  that  came 
from  heaven  and  not  those  religions  of  human  institution  which  can 
have  no  other  foundation  but  hypocrisy  or  sophism,  and  no  other 
support  but  the  sword. 

Among  all  the  religions  that  lay  claim  to  the  empire  of  souls, 
which  is  the  true  one  to  which  we  owe  submission  and  respect  ?  This 
will  form  the  subject  of  our  next  instruction 


XVIII.  INSTRUCTION 

Ninth  Article  of  the  Creed  (  Co?it'' d) 

On  the  Church 

No  LONG  explanation  is  needed  to  establish  the  fact  that  there  can 
be  only  one  true  religion,  just  as  there  is  and  can  be  only  one  God. 
In  fact,  what  is  religion.''  It  is  the  way  to  go  to  God.  Now,  we  can 
go  to  God  only  by  truth.  But  can  truth  be  found  at  one  and  the  same 
time  in  contradictory  religions.''  One  religion  teaches  that  there  is 
only  one  God ;  another  teaches  that  there  are  several  gods.  One 
church  teaches  that  Jesus  Christ  is  really  present  in  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment ;  another  denies  it.  One  teaches  that  Mohammed  was  really  a 
prophet  sent  from  heaven  •  another  maintains  that  he  was  an  infamous 
impostor. 


94 


FIRST  PART.      XVIII.   INSTRUCTION 


Surely  the  truth  cannot  be  found  on  both  sides  at  the  same  time. 
There  can  be  but  one  true  religion,  and  it  remains  for  us  to  find 
which  is  the  true  one.  It  is  evidently  the  Christian  religion,  the  re- 
ligion which  Jesus  Christ  has  taught  us.  Because  the  Christian  reli- 
gion alone  bears  unmistakably  the  marks  of  divinity.  What  are  these 
marks?  They  are  the  prophecies  which  have  announced  its  establish- 
ment, the  different  circumstances  of  the  life  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  miracles  wrought  in  its  favor,  and  finally  the  holiness  of  its  doc- 
trine and  morals. 

I.  Prophecies. —  To  God  alone  belongs  the  power  of  foretelling 
the  future,  at  least  with  regard  to  the  things  that  have  no  relation  to 
the  ordinary  and  unchangeable  laws  of  nature.  Now,  the  Christian 
religion  was  announced  long  before  its  establishment  by  prophecies, 
whose  authenticity  cannot  be  denied,  because  they  have  been  trans- 
mitted to  us  by  the  Jews  themselves,  of  whom  a  great  number  have 
remained  the  irreconcilable  enemies  of  our  religion ;  and  by  prophe- 
cies so  clear  and  so  evident  that  they  might  be  considered  rather  as 
the  history  of  the  past  than  as  the  prediction  of  future  things.  Thus, 
the  time  when  the  Redeemer  should  come  upon  earth,  the  place  where 
He  should  be  born,  His  mission,  His  prodigies,  the  circumstances  of 
His  life  and  death,  His  resurrection.  His  burial.  His  ascension  into 
heaven  —  all  these  events  had  been  literally  foretold  several  centuries 
before  they  took  place,  and  they  were  fulfilled  with  such  an  exactitude, 
that  many  Jews  and  pagans  found  no  difficulty  in  acknowledging 
Jesus  Christ  to  be  the  promised  Messiah. 

Among  all  these  prophecies,  there  is  especially  one  which  merits 
our  attention,  because  we  are  still  the  witness  of  its  fulfillment ;  it  is 
that  which  concerns  the  Jewish  people.  The  prophet  Daniel  had 
foretold  about  seven  hundred  years  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  that 
when  the  Redeemer  should  have  come  and  have  been  put  to  death  by 
the  Jews,  this  race  would  be  dispersed,  their  temple  destroyed,  its 
sacrifices  abolished,  and  the  desolation  would  last  until  the  end  of 
time.  Read  the  history  of  the  Jewish  people,  and  you  will  see  that 
since  the  infamous  crime  of  deicide,  they  find  themselves  without  any 
government,  without  priests,  without  a  temple,  without  a  sacrifice, 
condemned  to  wander  in  the  different  parts  of  the  world,  hated  and 
despised  by  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  without  hope  of  ever 
recovering  their  ancient  splendor.  This  singular  dispersion  and  this 
strange  punishment  of  the   Jewish  people,  has   been  a  spectacle   of 


ON  THE   CHURCH 


95 


God's  wrath  for  nineteen  centuries,  as  we  see  it  to-day  before  our 
eyes.  It  is  an  eternal  announcement  of  the  heavenly  vengeance,  and 
a  striking  proof  of  the  divinity  of  the  Christian  religion. 

II.  Miracles. —  We  cannot  reasonably  doubt  that  God  often  mani- 
fested by  means  of  prodigies  the  divinity  of  our  religion.  In  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  in  the  history  of  the  Church,  and  in  the  lives  of 
the  saints,  we  find  the  record  of  miracles  of  every  kind  wrought  at  all 
times  in  favor  of  the  Christian  religion:  the  sick  healed  in  an  instant, 
the  blind  recovering  their  sight,  devil-possessed  persons  delivered,  the 
dead  raised  to  life  again,  and  storms  calmed.  These  miracles  were 
not  all  wrought  in  one  single  place  or  in  secret,  but  in  all  parts  of  the 
world,  and  before  a  multitude  of  witnesses,  who  were  ready  to  testify 
to  them  at  the  price  of  their  lives.  Neither  did  these  miracles  take 
place  by  chance  and  without  motive,  but  at  the  prayer  of  those  who 
demanded  some  favor  from  heaven,  or  to  prove  some  dogma  of  reli- 
gion. Some  of  the  miracles  are  commemorated  by  public  monuments, 
which  would  not  have  been  erected  if  the  facts  had  not  been  well 
established. 

Now,  I  maintain  that  miracles  so  numerous  and  wonderful,  per- 
formed at  all  times,  and  in  so  public  and  striking  a  manner,  neces- 
sarily prove  the  divinity  of  the  religion  in  favor  of  which  they  were 
wrought.  It  is  evident  that  God  alone  could  work  all  these  miracles; 
for  only  the  All-powerful  Being  can  thus  change  and  suspend  the 
laws  of  nature.  God,  alone,  can  raise  the  dead  to  life,  stop  the  sun  in 
its  course,  open  to  a  whole  people  a  passage  through  the  sea,  and 
nourish  four  or  five  thousand  persons  with  a  few  loaves  of  bread. 
But  could  God,  the  author  of  truth,  work  so  many  prodigies  to  sup- 
port falsehood  and  confirm  a  false  religion?  No,  my  brethren,  God 
could  not  do  this ;  and  we  might  as  well  say  that  God  does  not  exist 
as  to  suppose  that  He  could  deceive  us  in  such  a  manner. 

But  there  is  a  miracle  which  no  one  will  deny  and  which,  itself 
alone,  would  sufficiently  prove  the  divinity  of  the  Christian  religion  : 
It  is  the  very  establishment  of  the  Christian  religion.  It  appeared  at 
first  only  in  a  small  corner  of  the  world,  and  was  preached  by  twelve 
poor  fishermen,  without  talent,  without  credit,  without  power,  who 
had  no  weapons  but  prayer  and  the  force  which  comes  with  convic- 
tion. And  what  kind  of  religion  did  they  preach?  A  religion  whose 
morals  are  in  direct  and  constant  opposition  to  all  the  inclinations  of 
nature  and  to  all  the  prejudices,  habits,  and  teachings  of  the  world. 


96 


FIRST   PART.      XVIII.    INSTRUCTION 


Nevertheless,  it  spreads  rapidly  from  city  to  city,  and  from  village  to 
village;  it  passes  soon  the  limits  of  the  kingdom  which  saw  it  rise. 
The  apostles  left  the  Cenacle,  animated  with  a  courage  which  nothing 
could  frighten  and  a  zeal  which  nothing  could  restrain,  and  went 
forth  to  announce  the  Gospel  in  Europe,  in  Africa,  in  Asia,  and  to 
the  most  remote  parts  of  the  known  w^orld,  and  in  a  few  years  the 
Christian  religion  was  known  everywhere.  But  what  great  obstacles 
had  not  the  apostles  to  overcome !  What  violent  attacks  from  the 
pagan  philosophers !  What  threats,  what  torments  from  tyrants ! 
But  nothing  could  stop  the  torrent  of  truth.  The  obstacles  which 
they  opposed  to  it  only  caused  its  force  to  increase ;  the  more  victims 
were  put  to  death  the  more  the  number  of  the  neophytes  increased, 
and  as  Tertullian  so  beautifully  said :  ^^  The  blood  of  the  martyrs 
became  the  seed  of  Christians.*' 

Is  not  this  rapid  propagation  of  the  Christian  religion,  in  spite  of 
so  many  obstacles  of  every  kind,  and  in  spite  of  the  \veakness  of  the 
means  employed  to  establish  it  in  the  world,  an  evident  proof  of  its 
divinity?  St.  Augustine  says:  **  Either  this  religion  was  supported 
by  miracles,  or  it  was  not;  and  if  it  was  established  without  miracles, 
it  is  the  greatest  of  all  miracles ;  and  in  both  cases,  it  can  only  have 
God  for  its  author.'* 

III.  Finally,  my  brethren,  a  last  proof,  and  certainly  not  the  least, 
is  the  character  of  holiness  with  which  it  is  invested.  The  Christian 
religion  is  holy  in  its  founder,  in  its  doctrine,  and  in  its  followers. 

The  founder  of  the  Christian  religion  is  Jesus  Christ,  whom  even 
the  Jews,  His  most  bitter  enemies,  never  reproach  with  the  least 
fault,  whose  innocence  Pilate  openly  proclaimed,  who  practiced 
charity,  meekness,  humility,  chastity,  and  all  virtues  to  so  high  a 
degree  that  one  of  the  Roman  Emperors  wished  to  place  Him  in 
the  rank  of  the  gods.  What  an  incomparable  life  was  the  life  of 
Christ!  There  was  neither  excess,  nor  defect ;  He  gave  us  the  exam- 
ple of  all  virtues,  even  the  most  difficult,  and  practiced  them  with 
a  sovereign  perfection. 
nJ  And  what  was  the  doctrine  of  Christ?  Read  the  Gospel,  and 
you  will  find  that  never  was  anything  more  pure  and  more  holy. 
Not  only  does  it  condemn  vice,  but  even  the  slightest  faults,  even 
the  very  desire  of  evil.  ToAvards  God,  it  prescribes  the  most  perfect 
worship  and  the  most  august  and  touching  ceremonies;  towards  our 
neighbor,  not  only  justice  and  charity  but  even  the  pardon  of  injuries 


ON   THE   CHURCH 


97 


and  the  love  of  our  enemies ;  towards  ourselves,  detachment  from  the 
goods  of  this  world,  contempt  of  honors,  patience  and  resignation 
in  the  pains  of  life,  self-denial  and  continual  mortification  of  the 
senses  and  passions. 

I  ask  you,  whether  a  religion  that  did  not  come  from  heaven  could 
give  to  man  a  doctrine  so  complete,  salutary,  and  noble,  and  carry 
man  to  such  a  high  point  of  perfection?  What  a  parallel  could  be 
established  between  the  evangelical  morals  and  those  of  the  philoso- 
phers, incomplete  as  they  are  and  disfigured  by  so  many  errors  I 
What  a  difference,  especially,  when  compared  with  the  morals  of 
paganism,  which  raised  altars  to  the  most  shameful  vices,  personi- 
fied in  a  Bacchus,  a  Minerva,  and  a  Venus? 

Moreover,  what  great  men,  eminent  in  sanctity,  did  not  the  Chris- 
tian religion  produce  at  all  times  and  among  all  nations?  Consider 
the  lives  of  the  apostles  and  the  first  disciples,  read  the  history  of 
the  anchorites  and  confessors  of  faith,  study  the  history  of  the  vir- 
gins in  the  world  and  in  the  cloister,  and  of  so  many  other  persons 
of  every  age,  state,  and  condition.  What  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God, 
what  charity,  what  devotedness  towards  their  fellowmen,  what  pu- 
rity, what  austerity,  and  mortification  of  self!  Ah!  if  the  Christian 
religion  were  practiced  everywhere,  what  order  would  reign  in  the 
world,  what  peace,  what  happy  relations  between  the  poor  and 
the  rich,  what  tranquillity  in  families,  what  sweet  harmony  and  char- 
ity among  all  men!  We  can  see  the  proof  of  this  in  the  first  cen- 
turies, when  the  faithful  were  of  only  one  heart  and  one  soul  (Acts 
IV.  :32),  when  they  knew  neither  mine  nor  thine,  when  all  things 
were  common  to  all.  What  happy  times,  my  brethren,  but,  alas! 
we  hardly  preserve  even  the  remembrance  of  them ! 

Consider,  moreover,  the  wonderful  effects  which  Christianity  has 
produced.  It  destroyed  polygamy,  divorce,  slavery,  and  the  killing  of 
children  among  pagan  nations ;  it  diminished  the  horrors  of  war,  and 
introduced  everywhere  security  in  commerce,  decency  in  morals,  and 
a  kindness  in  society.  **A  wonderful  thing  it  is,'*  said  the  famous 
philosopher  Montesquieu,  ^*  that  the  Christian  religion,  which  seems  to 
have  no  other  object  but  happiness  in  the  next  life,  makes,  also,  the 
happiness  of  the  present  life.'' 

No  wonder  that  a  religion  so  wonderful  and  so  pure  should  be 
confirmed  with  the  most  glorious  testimonials  and  should  command 
the  respect  of  such  men  of  genius  as  a  Tertullian,  an  Origen,  an 
7 


98 


FIRST   PART.      XIX.    INSTRUCTION 


Augustine,  a  John  Chrysostom,  a  Bossuet,  a  Descartes,  a  Newton,  a 
Leibnitz,  etc.  Ah,  let  us  consider  ourselves  happy  to  be  disciples  of 
such  a  religion !  Let  us  be  proud  of  the  name  of  Christian  ;  and 
when  obstacles  present  themselves,  let  us  arm  ourselves  as  the  saints 
have  done,  with  a  holy  zeal  and  an  immovable  courage,  by  looking 
forward  to  the  eternal  felicity  which  will  be  one  day  our  reward. 
Amen. 


XIX.  INSTRUCTION 

Ninth  Article  of  the  Creed   (  Confd) 
On  the  Church 

I.  After  having  convinced  ourselves  of  the  divinity  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  there  remains  for  us  to  inquire  which  among  the 
churches,  calling  themselves  Christian,  is  the  true  Church,  the  real 
spouse  of  Jesus  Christ  ?  It  is  with  the  different  churches  as  with  the 
different  religions ;  there  can  be  only  one  true  Church.  We  cannot 
honor  God  by  acts  directly  opposed  to  each  other,  any  more  than  we 
can  reach  heaven  by  contrary  roads. 

There  are  many  sects  which  pretend  to  be  the  true  Church  founded 
by  Jesus  Christ,  such  as  Lutheranism,  which  flourishes  chiefly  in  Ger- 
many;  Calvinism,  which  dominates  in  Switzerland;  Anglicanism, 
which  is  established  in  England  ;  the  Greek  Schismatic  Church,  which 
flourishes  principally  in  Russia  and  Greece  ;  finally  the  hundreds  of 
American  sects,  all  claiming  to  be  the  true  Church  of  Christ. 

Is  any  one  of  these  sects  the  true  Church,  or  does  this  august  pre- 
rogative belong  solely  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  of  which  we 
have  the  happiness  to  be  members?  This,  my  brethren,  is  the  impor- 
tant question  into  which  we  are  to  inquire  to-day. 

II.  Four  marks  serve  to  distinguish  the  true  Church  from  all  other 
churches  :  unity,  sanctity,  catholicity,  and  apostolicity.  We  profess 
this  belief  every  time  we  recite  the  Apostles'  Creed,  saying  :  /  believe 
in  the  Holy  Catholic   Church ;  or  in  the  Nicene  Creed :  /  believe  in 


ON  THE  CHURCH 


99 


One  Holy,  Catholic,  and  Apostolic  Church.  These  four  marks  are 
absolutely  essential  to  it,  and,  consequently,  any  church  that  does 
not  possess  them  cannot  be  the  true  Church. 

III.  The  Church  must  be  One.  This  means  that  those  who  com- 
pose it  must  profess  the  same  faith,  partake  of  the  same  Sacraments, 
and  be  subject  to  the  same  lawful  pastors.  If  we  had  not  all  the  same 
faith,  or  did  not  all  profess  the  same  doctrine,  what  a  strange  spectacle 
would  the  Church  present!  We  would  have  in  the  same  society  at 
once  truth  and  error,  light  and  darkness.  What  kind  of  a  church 
would  that  be  where  some  would  be  baptized  and  others  not,  where 
some  would  believe  themselves  bound  to  annual  confession,  to  Easter 
communion,  and  others  would  believe  themselves  dispensed  from  all 
this?  What  a  confusion  and  chaos!  What  would  we  think  of  a 
church,  whose  members  would  refuse  to  obey  their  lawful  pastors, 
especially  the  pastor  of  pastors,  the  Supreme  Pontiff,  who  directs  and 
governs  the  entire  flock,  both  shepherds  and  sheep,  dispersed  all  over 
the  world?  Would  this  not  be  the  most  complete  anarchy,  and  ^Hhe 
abomination  of  desolation  in  the  holy  place  '^  ?  Therefore,  the  Church 
of  God  must  be  one  in  its  faith,  one  in  its  worship,  one  in  submission 
to  the  pastors  appointed  by  Jesus  Christ. 

Among  the  different  societies  that  call  themselves  Christians, 
which  is  the  one  that  possesses  that  threefold  unity?  It  is  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  alone.  In  fact,  while  the  Protestant  sects  have  never 
succeeded  in  having  all  their  followers  accept  the  same  doctrine,  since 
each  individual  claims  to  interpret  the  Bible  for  himself,  we  see  all 
Catholics  believing  the  same  doctrine,  worshipping  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and  all  obeying  the  one  Supreme  Head.  The  Catholic  Church, 
therefore,  alone  possesses  unity,  and  unity  in  all  the  force  of  the 
word.  She  is  One:  ist.  In  faith,  because  the  Creed  which  we  recite 
here  in  this  church  is  recited  in  all  the  Catholic  churches  of  the 
world ;  2d.  One  in  worship,  because  in  all  places  the  same  Sacra- 
ments are  administered  and  the  same  Sacrifice  is  offered ;  3d.  One  in 
government,  because  everywhere  the  same  head  is  acknowledged  — 
the  Pope,  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  the  bishops  and  the  parish 
priests;  so  that  by  obeying  the  pastors  you  obey  the  bishop,  and  by 
obeying  the  bishop  you  obey  the  Pope  himself.  Besides  this  unity 
of  fact,  the  Church  possesses  also  unity  in  principle,  because  she 
excludes  from  her  bosom  all  those  who  refuse  to  submit  themselves 
to  her  decrees  in  matters  of  faith,  worship,  or  discipline. 


jOO  FIRST   PART.      XIX.    INSTRUCTION 

IV.  The  Church  must  be  Holy.  The  chaste  spouse  of  Jesus  Christ 
cannot  be  anything  else  but  holy.  She  must  be  holy  in  her  author,  in 
her  doctrine,  and  in  her  Sacraments,  and  also  in  her  members,  for  she 
must  be  always  prolific  in  fruits  of  sanctity. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  possesses  this  character  in  the  highest 
degree,  and  it  is  one  of  her  most  striking  marks.  She  is  holy  in  her 
author^  because  she  has  for  founder  Jesus  Christ  and  His  apostles. 
She  is  holy  in  her  doctrine^  because,  according  to  the  testimony  of  her 
most  bitter  enemies,  she  has  never  taught  anything  that  did  not  lead 
men  from  vice  and  incline  them  to  virtue.  She  is  holy  in  her  Sacra- 
ments., which  have  been  established  to  confer  or  to  increase  grace  in 
us.  Finally,  she  is  holy  in  her  members.  We  do  not  mean  to  main- 
tain that  all  her  members  are  holy;  for  with  free-will,  which  God 
gave  to  all  men,  it  will  be  always  with  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  as 
with  the  field  of  the  man  where  the  cockle  was  found  mingled  with 
the  good  grain.  But  we  mean  to  say  that  all  are  called  to  become 
saints,  and  that,  at  all  times,  great  numbers  of  her  children  became 
saints.  Such  are  the  martyrs,  the  confessors,  the  anchorites,  the  Chris- 
tian virgins,  who  have  in  all  ages  formed  the  ornament  of  the  Church. 
Such  in  the  first  centuries  and  in  the  Middle  Ages  were  St.  Ambrose, 
St.  Jerome,  St.  Augustine.  St.  Dominic,  St.  Bernard,  the  record  of 
whose  noble  and  pure  lives  history  has  preserved  for  us,  and  whose 
heroic  virtues  we  still  admire.  Such  in  modern  times  were  St.  Charles 
Borromeo,  St.  Francis  Xavier,  St.  Francis  of  Sales,  St.  Vincent  of 
Paul,  and  many  others,  too  numerous  to  mention.  And  even  at  the 
present  day  what  shining  examples  of  virtue  we  often  see,  not  to  men- 
tion the  many  virtuous  actions  which  are  done  in  secret.  We  find  saints 
in  all  states  and  conditions  of  life.  Especially  do  we  find  them  in  the 
religious  life,  where  evangelical  perfection  is  practiced  in  so  wonder- 
ful a  manner,  and  where  the  charity,  the  modesty,  and  all  the  virtues 
of  the  most  beautiful  times  of  Christianity  seem  to  be  perpetuated. 
And  by  what  numberless  and  striking  miracles  have  all  the  saints 
of  the  Church  in  all  ages  proved  their  sanctity!  Read  their  lives, 
and  say  whether  God  in  His  wisdom  would  have  given  such  a 
power  to  men  unless  they  had  been  faithful  followers  of  His  di- 
vine Son. 

The  Roman  Catholic  alone  possesses  the  mark  of  holiness.  Indeed, 
to  speak  here  only  of  those  Protestant  sects  which  we  see  about  us, 
who  were  their  founders.?     Luther  and  Calvin,  the  most  vile  and  the 


ON  THE  CHURCH  loi 

most  infamous  of  men,  who  have  acquired  a  sad  celebrity  through 
their  unbridled  pride  and  shameful  lives.  What  was  their  doctrine? 
It  was  full  of  contradictions  and  of  gross  errors,  and  having  no  fixed 
principles,  it  has  changed  from  age  to  age.  In  the  beginning  Protes- 
tants maintained  that  good  works  and  penance  were  useless,  that  the 
state  of  grace  could  not  be  lost,  that  Jesus  Christ  died  only  for  the 
predestined,  etc., — teachings  which  unbridle  vice,  which  trouble 
the  soul,  and  favor  the  worst  passions.  What  is  their  worship?  Most 
of  these  heretics  have  neither  sacrifice,  nor  sacraments,  except  perhaps 
baptism,  and  thus  everything  reduces  itself  to  some  prayer  or  to  some 
meaningless  and  useless  ceremony.  And  where  are  the  saints  that 
Protestantism  has  produced?  Where  are  their  miracles?  Let  them 
point  them  out ;  we  defy  them  to  show  us  a  single  one.  How,  then, 
can  Protestantism  claim  to  be  the  true  Church?  No  wonder  that  its 
power  is  declining  more  and  more  every  day,  and  that  well-disposed 
Protestants  return  to  the  Catholic  faith,  whilst  the  others,  pushing 
error  to  its  extreme  limits,  fall  into  infidelity.  A  famous  lady,  the 
Countess  of  Stafford,  said  that  one  of  the  reasons  which  determined 
her  to  leave  Protestantism  and  become  a  Catholic,  was  that  no  Cath- 
olic who  earnestly  sought  his  salvation  ever  became  a  Protestant ; 
whilst  on  the  contrary,  w^e  see  on  all  sides  Protestants  converted  to  the 
Catholic  faith. 

V.  The  Church  must  be  Catholic^  that  is,  spread  in  all  parts  of 
the  world,  in  order  that  it  may  be  known  by  all  men.  It  was  of  this 
Catholicity  that  God  spoke  when  He  said  to  Abraham  that  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  would  be  blessed  in  the  son  that  would  rise  from 
his  race  (Gen.  xii.  2),  and  when  He  declared  through  the  mouth  of 
the  prophet  David,  that  He  would  give  to  His  Son  for  heritage  all  the 
nations  and  the  extremities  of  the  earth  as  his  possession, 
that  he  would  dominate  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  shores  of  the 
great  river  to  the  limits  of  the  world,  .  .  .  that  all  the  kings 
would  adore  him,  that  all  the  nations  would  obey  him,  that  the  con- 
fines of  the  earth  would  become  converted  in  great  numbers  (Ps.  xxviii— 
XXIX  ).  From  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  to  the  going  down  of  the  same, 
my  name  is  great  among  the  nations,  we  read  in  the  prophet  Malachias, 
and  in  every  place  there  is  sacrifice,  and  there  is  offered  to  my  name 
a  clean  oblation  (Malach.  i.  11).  Go  ye  into  the  ivhole  world,  said 
Jesus  Christ  to  His  apostles,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature 
(Mark  xv.  15).      Tou  shall  be  witness  unto  ?ne  in  ferusalem,  and  in 


I02  FIRST   PART.       XIX.    INSTRUCTION 

all  Judea  and  Samaria^  and  even  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
(Acts  I.  8). 

The  true  Church,  therefore,  must  be  Catholic,  that  is,  spread 
everywhere,  and  spread  more  than  any  heretical  sect,  in  order  that 
everywhere  it  may  be  easily  distinguished  from  false  religions.  It  is 
like  a  large  tree,  which  tree  should  overshadow  all  nations ;  it  is  a 
brilliant  sun  which  should  enlighten  them  and  warm  them  with  its 
benevolent  rays. 

Now,  my  brethren,  only  the  Roman  Church  can  claim  to  possess 
Catholicity.  Cast  a  glance  over  the  world,  and  you  will  find  it 
spread  to  the  east,  to  the  west,  to  the  north,  and  to  the  south ;  not,  in- 
deed, that  it  embraces  all  the  countries  at  once,  but  in  the  sense  that  it 
exists  in  the  greatest  part  of  the  known  world.  It  is  supreme  in 
Italy,  in  France,  in  Spain,  in  Portugal,  in  Belgium,  in  Poland,  in 
Austria,  and  in  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  colonies  of  Africa,  Asia, 
and  America.  Even  in  those  countries  where  it  does  not  include  the 
greatest  number  of  the  inhabitants,  it  counts  a  large  number  of  fol- 
lowers, as  in  the  United  States,  in  the  kingdoms  of  Northern  Europe, 
in  Switzerland,  and  in  the  Lutheran  States  of  Germany.  She  has  also 
numerous  children  in  the  East,  living  among  the  Turks  and  the  schis- 
matic Greeks,  and  even  among  the  idolatrous  nations  of  China,  Ton- 
quin,  and  Oceanica,  and  every  day  she  increases  her  conquests  and 
brings  the  most  savage  tribes  to  the  knowledge  of  faith. 

Is  it  thus  with  the  heretical  and  schismatical  sects?  No,  my  breth- 
ren, in  fact  the  Greek  Church  exists  only  in  Russia  and  in  some 
countries  of  the  East,  and  is  entirely  unknown  in  Africa  and  America. 
As  to  the  Protestant  Church,  besides  being  divided  into  numberless 
sects  which  have  neither  union  nor  common  creed,  and  which  could 
be  rightly  regarded  as  so  many  distinct  churches,  it  claims  only  a  few 
countries  of  the  world  ;  it  is  almost  totally  unknown  in  Italy,  Spain, 
and  France,  and  it  is  very  little  known  in  Asia,  Africa,  and  South 
America.     In  the  United  States  it  is  more  widespread. 

Moreover,  the  Roman  Church  alone  has  always  borne  the  name  of 
Catholic.  It  is  a  title  proper  to  her ;  and  heretics  themselves  are 
obliged  to  call  her  thus  if  they  wish  to  be  understood,  as  St.  Augus- 
tine said,  for  it  thus  that  everybody  calls  her.  What  a  privilege,  my 
brethren,  to  be  children  of  this  Church!  How  proud  may  we  be  to 
say,  as  the  ancient  martyrs.  Christian  is  my  name.  Catholic  is  my  sur- 
name !     This   character   of    Catholicity   which    the    Roman    Catholic 


ON  THE   CHURCH  jq. 

Church  has  always  preserved,  from  the  beginning,  in  spite  of  all  the 
attacks  of  heresy  and  schism,  and  in  spite  of  all  the  defections  from 
her  ranks,  would  be  in  itself  a  sufficient  proof  that  she  is  the  true 
Church. 

There  are,  nevertheless,  many  Christians  who  are  far  from  being 
sufficiently  instructed  on  the  evident  marks  of  truth  which  are  offered 
by  the  Catholic  Church,  to  which  they  have  the  happiness  to  belong. 
Some  are  Catholics  because  they  have  been  raised  in  the  Catholic 
religion  or  because  they  were  born  of  Catholic  parents,  or  because 
everything  around  them  is  more  or  less  Catholic;  that  is,  they  are 
Catholics  without  knowing  why.  Hence,  that  lukewarmness  in  the 
faith,  that  indifference,  that  sort  of  practical  incredulity  which  is 
almost  worse  than  heresy  itself.  Know  well  that  in  the  Christian 
society,  there  is  only  one  Church  that  is  the  true  one,  and  this  Church 
is  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  which  we  are  members.  She  pre- 
serves the  marks  of  Unity,  Sanctity,  and  Catholicity  which  it  is  im- 
possible to  deny.  Therefore,  let  us  attach  ourselves  firmly  to  this 
Church,  let  us  love  it  from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts,  let  us  listen  to 
its  voice  as  obedient  children,  and  let  us  always  put  its  teachings  into 
practice. 

The  fourth  mark  or  character  of  the  Church,  is  the  Apostolicity . 
There  is  no  mark,  it  seems,  more  convincing,  and  more  easily  to  be 
understood  than  this  one.  But  the  subject  is  important  and  exten- 
sive, and,  therefore,  we  shall  reserve  it  for  the  next  instruction. 


XX.     INSTRUCTION 

Ninth  Article  of  the  Creed   (  Confd) 

On  the  Church 

In  order  that  you  may  better  understand  what  I  have  to  say  about 
Apostolicity,  the  fourth  mark  of  the  Church,  which  distinguishes  it 
strongly  from  the  heretical  and  schismatical  sects,  it  is  necessary  for 
me  to  go  back  to  the  beginning,  and  to  show  you  how  the  Church 
was  founded  by  our  divine  Master. 


I04 


FIRST  PART.      XX.    INSTRUCTION 


I.  What  did  Jesus  Christ  do  when  He  wished  to  establish  this 
holy  and  incorruptible  Church  which  should  soon  be  spread  all  over 
the  world,  to  preach  therein  the  true  religion  and  to  perpetuate  the 
same  until  the  end  of  timer  He  commenced  by  choosing  twelve 
apostles  to  whom  He  added  seventy-two  disciples  in  order  to  assist 
them  in  the  sacred  ministry.  These  twelve  apostles  were  Peter  and 
Andrew,  his  brother;  James,  son  of  Zebedee,  and  John,  his  brother; 
Philip  and  Bartholomew ;  Thomas  and  Matthew ;  James,  son  of 
Alpheus  and  Thadeus ;  Simon  of  Cana,  and  Judas  Iscariot,  who  is 
the  one  that  betrayed  Him.  And  as  every  society  must  have  a  head, 
and,  especially,  a  society  like  the  Church  destined  to  embrace  the  whole 
world,  Christ  appointed  Peter  the  Prince  of  the  Apostles,  the  Head 
of  the  entire  Church,  in  saying  to  him  :  Thou  art  Peter;  and  upon 
this  rock  I  will  build  my  Churchy  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  pre- 
vail against  it  (Matt.  xvi.  i8).  And  at  another  time  He  said:  / 
tv ill  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  kitigdom  of  heaven;  and  whatsoever 
thou  shall  bind  upon  earthy  it  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven;  and 
whatsoever  thou  shall  loose  upon  earth,  it  shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven 
(Matt.  XVI.  19).  And  what  He  promised  here  He  gave  to  him  in 
full  after  His  resurrection  at  the  time  w4ien  having  required  from  him 
a  threefold  testimony  of  love,  in  expiation  of  his  threefold  denial, 
Jesus  said  to  Him  :  Feed  my  lambs ,  feed  my  sheep  (Matt.  xxi.  17). 
This  means:  I  will  establish  thee  pastor  of  My  whole  flock,  and  I 
entrust  to  thee  its  care;  thou  shalt  have  full  powder  not  only  over  the 
lambs,  who  are  the  simple  faithful,  but  also  over  the  sheep,  that  is 
over  the  apostles,  or  the  bishops,  their  successors,  and  the  other 
inferior  pastors. 

It  w^as  in  these  terms,  that  our  Saviour  gave  to  St.  Peter  that 
primacy  of  honor  and  of  jurisdiction  which  authorized  him  to  do  and 
ordain  all  that  he  would  believe  necessary  for  the  general  good  of  the 
Church.  He  was  the  foundation  and  cornerstone  of  that  building 
which  should  last  until  the  end  of  time.  Before  ascending  into 
heaven  He  said  to  all  His  apostles:  All  power  is  given  to  me  in  heaven 
and  in  earth.  Go,  therefore,  teach  ye  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  behold  I  am  with  you  all  days,  even  to  the  consummation 
of  the  world  (Matt,  xxviii.  18-20).  And  it  was  in  virtue  of 
this  divine  mission,  and  to  obey  the  orders  of  their  divine  Master,  that 
the  apostles,  after  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  travelled  to  all  parts 


ON   THE   CHURCH 


I  OS 


of  the  earth  to  preach  the  Gospel.  St.  James  remained  at  Jerusalem; 
St.  John  fixed  himself  at  Ephesus  and  founded  the  churches  of  Asia 
Minor;  St.  Andrew  went  to  the  Scythians;  St.  Thomas  went  as  far 
as  India;  St.  Philip  passed  into  Upper  Asia;  St.  Bartholomew  into 
Armenia;  St.  Matthew  into  Ethiopia;  St.  Simon  into  Mesopotamia 
and  Persia ;  St.  Jude  into  Arabia  and  Idumea ;  St.  Mathias,  who  was 
elected  in  the  place  of  Judas,  went  into  Africa ;  St.  Paul,  who  was 
not  of  the  number  of  the  twelve,  but  who  does  not  any  the  less  merit 
the  name  of  apostle,  gained  for  Christ  numberless  nations;  and  St. 
Peter,  the  head  of  all,  the  leader  of  the  apostolic  choir,  as  St.  John 
Chrysostom  calls  him,  after  having  preached  to  the  Jews,  dispersed 
in  Pontus,  Galatia,  and  Cappadocia,  in  Asia  and  Bythinia,  and 
after  having  resided  seven  years  at  Antioch,  entered  Rome,  at  that 
time  the  center  of  pagan  superstition,  and  fixed  his  See  in  the  cap- 
ital of  the  world  in  order  to  make  it  the  capital  of  the  Christian 
religion. 

II.  Such  was  the  beginning  of  the  Church,  established  by  the 
apostles,  assisted  by  the  seventy-two  disciples,  with  St.  Peter  as 
their  head.  But  the  apostles  could  not  live  forever,  and  sooner  or 
later  death  claimed  them  like  the  rest  of  men.  What  would  become 
of  the  rising  Church,  if  deprived  of  its  illustrious  founders?  Was 
it  to  perish  with  them.''  No,  my  brethren,  the  Church  was  founded 
to  last  until  the  end  of  the  world;  and  it  is  written  that  all  the 
powers  of  hell  shall  never  prevail  against  her.  Jesus  Christ,  her 
divine  founder,  has  provided  for  all ;  He  ordained  that  the  mission 
and  the  powers  which  He  gave  to  the  apostles,  and  particularly  to 
St.  Peter,  their  chief,  should  pass  to  their  successors ;  that  new  pas- 
tors, whom  we  call  bishops,  should  replace  the  apostles;  that  our 
Holy  Father,  the  Pope,  should  succeed  St.  Peter,  and  that  thus,  from 
age  to  age,  they  should  transmit,  from  one  to  another,  the  power  of 
ordaining  priests,  of  preaching  the  word  of  God,  of  administering 
the  sacraments  —  in  one  word,  the  power  to  do  all  that  would  be 
necessary  for  the  government  of  the  Church. 

This  is  what  we  call  the  apostolic  succession.  Do  you  wish  to 
know  which,  among  the  Christian  Churches,  is  the  true  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ?  There  is  only  one  thing  you  have  to  do:  to  see  in 
Which  one  is  found  this  apostolic  succession,  that  is,  that  uninter- 
rupted series  of  bishops  who  have  succeeded  the  apostles  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  Church  which  they  have  founded,  and  of  the  Popes 


Io6  FIRST   PART.      XX.    INSTRUCTION 

who  have  succeeded  St.  Peter  in  the  see  of  Rome.  For  it  is  self- 
evident  that  any  church  whose  ministers  cannot  trace  their  power 
back  to  the  time  of  the  apostles,  cannot  be  the  true  Church,  because 
it  lacks,  so  to  say,  the  sap  of  the  stem  and  the  source  of  life;  and 
that  the  Church  which,  in  all  times,  has  been  in  communion  w^ith 
the  sees  founded  by  the  apostles,  and  especially  with  the  see  of  Peter, 
can  alone  be  the  true  Church  of  Christ. 

Now,  open  the  most  authentic  books  of  history  and  you  will  find 
that,  even  by  the  avow^al  of  its  enemies,  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
has  been  constantly  governed  by  pontiffs,  whose  unbroken  line  ex- 
tends back  to  the  apostolic  times ;  so  that  from  Pope  Leo  XIII.,  glori- 
ously reigning  to-day,  we  can  trace  the  succession  from  Pope  to  Pope, 
back  to  St.  Peter,  and  consequently  to  Jesus  Christ  Himself.  We 
have  the  exact  list  of  all  the  sovereign  pontiffs,  and  generally  even 
the  date  of  their  election  and  of  their  death.  It  is  the  same  for  the 
bishops  who  succeeded  the  apostles,  and  whose  line  of  succession  is, 
for  the  most  part,  uninterrupted.  This  unbroken  line  of  the  suc- 
cession of  sovereign  pontiffs  touched  St.  Augustine,  and  made  him 
say  that  this  was  one  of  the  most  powerful  arguments  that  retained 
him  in  the  Church. 

What  other  church  can  show  us  a  succession  so  clear  and  so  impos- 
ing.? This  was  the  challenge  which  TertuUian  made  to  all  the 
enemies  of  the  Church,  although  at  that  time  it  had  existed  only  two 
centuries.  And  what  would  he  have  said  had  he  seen  an  uninter- 
rupted succession  of  nearly  nineteen  hundred  years?  How  could  the 
Protestants  ans-wer  TertuUian,  since  they  exist  only  three  centuries? 
We  need  only  to  ask  them  :  Show  us  the  origin  of  your  churches ; 
show  us  the  list  of  your  bishops  or  pastors  back  to  that  one  of  the 
apostles.  Who  are  you  ?  Whence  do  you  come  ?  Since  when  do  you 
exist?  Who  was  a  Lutheran  before  Luther  appeared,  a  Calvinist  be- 
fore Calvin,  an  Anglican  before  Henry  VIII.  ?  How  do  Luther,  Cal- 
vin, and  Henry  VIII.  trace  their  origin  to  the  apostles?  Whom  did 
they  succeed?  Who  is  the  pastor  that  appointed  them  and  from  whom 
did  they  receive  their  doctrine?  They  have  intruded  themselves  into 
the  government  of  the  Church;  they  were  sent  by  themselves;  for  them 
there  is  no  apostolic  succession.  With  such  reasoning  we  can  always 
confound  every  heretical  and  schismatical  sect.  We  need  only  remind 
all  the  innovators  of  their  origin  ;  we  need  only  tell  them  :  You  are 
but  of  yesterday,   you   have  separated  yourselves  from   the  Catholic 


ON   THE   CHURCH 


107 


Church,  as  a  branch  which  is  cut  away  from  a  tree;  therefore,  you  do 
not  belong  to  the  true  Church. 

But  thou,  O  Roman  Catholic  Church,  thou  art  apostolic ;  thy  pas- 
tors go  back  by  an  uninterrupted  series  to  the  time  of  the  apostles;  and 
to  this  mark  thou  joinest  all  the  others  that  are  proper  to  the  Church! 
Thou  hast  unity  in  faith,  in  worship,  and  in  the  evangelical  ministry ; 
thou  hast  holiness,  and  incontestable  miracles  render  daily  testimony 
to  the  virtues  that  spring  up  in  thy  bosom  and  to  the  spirit  of  God 
that  animates  thee;  thou  art  incomparably  the  most  widely  spread  of 
all  Christian  churches;  thou  art  Catholic,  thou  art  universal! 

Thou  art,  therefore,  the  true  Church,  thou  alone  art  the  true  ark  of 
Noah,  the  column  of  truth,  the  chaste  spouse  of  Jesus  Christ.  To 
thee  be  honor,  respect,  and  homage.  To  thee  fidelity,  submission,  and 
love.  We  are  happy  to  be  of  thy  children  and  we  will  attach  our- 
selves to  thee  forever,  and  we  promise  this  here  before  the  altar. 
Neither  the  wicked  maxims  of  the  world,  nor  persecutions,  nor  death 
itself,  will  be  able  to  separate  us  from  thee.  As  the  great  Bpssuet 
said :  *  May  my  tongue  dry  up  in  my  mouth,  may  my  right  hand  be 
cut  off,  if  ever  I  say  or  do  anything  unworthy  of  thee !  '^ 

And  thou  august  and  holy  Pontiff,  who  sittest  on  the  imperishable 
chair  of  Rome,  thou  art  the  head  of  the  whole  Church,  the  successor 
of  Peter,  the  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  father  of  all  the  faithful,  thou 
who  since  many  years  hadst  to  bear  so  many  attacks,  who  hadst  to 
wrestle  against  the  combined  efforts  of  heresy,  schism,  and  impiety; 
thou  who,  like  an  immovable  rock  in  the  midst  of  raging  waves, 
hast  triumphed  thus  far  over  all  the  storms  and  all  the  tempests  that 
have  assailed  thee  ;  permit  us,  the  least  and  humblest  of  thy  children, 
to  pay  thee  our  homage  of  profound  veneration  and  devotedness.  Ah ! 
we  know  that  great  tribulations  agitate  thy  soul ;  but  what  consoles 
us  and  removes  our  fears  is  that  thou  art  Peter,  and  that  the  gates  of 
hell  shall  not  prevail  against  thee.     Amen. 


lo8  FIRST   PART.      XXI.   INSTRUCTION 

XXI.     INSTRUCTION 

Ninth  Article  of  the  Creed  (  Confd) 

On  the  Church 

I.  According  to  all  that  has  been  said  in  the  preceding  instruc- 
tions, the  Roman  Church  is  the  true,  and  the  only  true,  Church. 
Thus,  when  we  speak  of  the  Church  in  the  United  States,  in  France, 
in  Spain  or  Italy,  we  do  not  mean  to  say  that  these  are  so  many  differ- 
ent churches.  Under  these  various  names  we  designate  simply  the 
particular  churches,  which  are  portions  of  the  true  Church,  because 
they  are  united  to  one  another  by  the  bonds  of  the  same  faith,  and  by 
the  submission  to  the  same  lawful  pastors. 

So,  also,  when  we  make  mention  of  the  militant  church,  the  suffer- 
ing church,  or  the  triumphant  church,  we  always  mean  to  speak  of  the 
same  Church,  but  considered  in  three  different  states.  When  we  speak 
of  the  Church  upon  earth,  we  call  it  the  militant  Church,  on  account  of 
the  attacks  which  the  faithful  have  to  withstand  ;  when  we  speak  of  the 
Church  in  purgatory,  we  call  it  the  suffering  Church,  on  account  of  the 
torments  which  these  souls  have  to  endure  that  have  not  entirely  satis- 
fied the  justice  of  God;  and  when  we  speak  of  the  Church  in  heaven, 
we  call  it  the  triumphant  Church,  on  account  of  the  joys  and  triumphs 
of  the  saints.  All  this  means  that  among  the  members  of  the  Church, 
there  are  some  in  heaven,  others  upon  earth,  and  others  in  purgatory, 
but  they  are  all  brethren,  forming  together  only  one  and  the  same 
Church. 

II.  From  this  fundamental  truth  that  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
is  the  true  Church,  and  the  only  true  Church,  we  may  derive  important 
consequences.  The  first  is,  the  impossibility  of  working  out  one's 
salvation  outside  the  Church.  In  fact,  no  one  can  be  saved  without 
living  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ ;  that  is,  without  believing  and  practic- 
ing all  that  He  teaches  us ;  and  no  one  can  live  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ 
who  does  not  belong  to  the  true  Church.  Whoever  is  not  of  the  true 
Church  of  Christ  is  like  a  branch  cut  off  from  the  vine,  and  good  for 
nothing  but  to  cast  into  the  fire.  The  Church  is  that  ark  of  Noah 
outside  of  which  none  could  escape  the  Deluge.  This  is  what  our 
Saviour  Himself  teaches  us  when  He  says  that  if  anyone  will  not  hear 


ON  THE   CHURCH 


109 


the  Church,  he  must  he  looked  upon  as  a  heathen  and  a  publican 
(Mq-tt.  XVIII.  17). 

Those  who  are  outside  the  way  of  salvation  are  :  ist.  All  those  that 
have  not  received  baptism,  such  as  Pagans,  Jews,  Mohammedans ;  2d. 
Apostates,  who  abjure  Christianity,  and  who  are  worse  than  infidels ; 
3d.  Heretics  who  refuse  to  believe  one  or  more  truths  of  faith  and 
whom  the  Church  has  anathematized ;  4th.  Schismatics,  who  do  not 
wish  to  acknowledge  the  authority  of  the  lawful  pastors;  5th.  Fi- 
nally, excommunicated  persons  whom  the  Church  has  cut  off  from 
her  society. 

These  different  classes  being  outside  the  fold  of  Jesus  Christ,  can 
have  no  part  in  His  rewards,  which  He  has  promised  only  to  His  dis- 
ciples. 

However,  the  Church  rejects  only  those  of  her  rebellious  children 
who  remain  obstinate  in  their  revolt,  or  who  are  in  bad  faith,  and 
who  do  not  wish  to  abandon  their  errors,  although  they  know  they 
are  in  the  wrong.  But  as  to  those  who  are  not  yet  of  an  age  to  rec- 
ognize their  error,  or  who  sincerely  believe  themselves  to  be  in  the 
bosom  of  the  true  Church,  although  they  are  not,  we  may  say  that 
their  good  faith  will  save  them.  As  to  those  who  have  not  received 
baptism,  such  as  infidels,  Jews,  and  pagans,  the  difficulty  is  greater, 
because  our  Lord  has  said  that  unless  a  man  be  born  again  of  ivater 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  God  (John  iii. 
5).  However,  as  the  baptism  of  desire  is  sufficient,  when  the  baptism 
of  water  cannot  be  received,  if  a  person  faithfully  observes  the  natural 
law,  and  has  the  intention  to  do  all  that  is  necessary  for  salvation, 
such  a  one  would  be  held  to  have  at  least  the  implicit  desire  of  bap- 
tism, and  perhaps  it  would  be  possible,  as  such  pious  and  learned 
authors  as  St.  Liguori,  the  Cardinal  of  La  Luzerne,  and  the  Abbe 
Frayssinous  teach,  that  the  gates  of  heaven  will  be  opened  to  them. 
In  any  case,  such  persons  would  be  in  the  same  state  as  those  who 
lived  before  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and  if  they  lead  pure  and 
innocent  lives,  God,  in  His  mercy,  will  find  a  hundred  means  to  call 
them  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

Be  it  as  it  may,  my  brethren,  let  us  thank  the  Lord  for  having 
caused  us  to  be  born  in  the  bosom  of  the  true  Church,  for  having 
placed  us,  from  our  infancy,  in  the  mystic  ark  where  salvation  is  so 
easy.  Let  us  pray  to  Him  to  spread  more  and  more  upon  the  earth 
the  light  of  the  Gospel,  and  let  us  join,  if  possible,  the  Society  for  the 


no  FIRST  PART.      XXI.    INSTRUCTION 

Propagation  of  the  Faith,  that  most  excellent  work  of  our  time,  in 
order  to  do  what  we  can,  that  all  those  peoples  who  still  sleep  in  the 
darkness  of  error,  may  come  to  know^  the  w^ay  of  truth. 

III.  The  second  consequence  is  that  the  Church  must  have  four 
other  qualities,  not  less  essential  than  the  marks  of  which  we  spoke 
before,  namely  :  visibility,  infallibility,  supreme  authority,  and  perpe- 
tuity. If  the  Church  were  not  visible,  the  faithful  could  not  know 
where  it  is;  if  it  were  not  infallible,  it  might  lead  us  into  error;  if  it 
had  no  supreme  authority,  it  could  not  impose  laws  upon  us  and  there 
w^ould  be  in  her  bosom  neither  order  nor  discipline;  if  it  were  not 
perpetual,  there  would  come  a  time  when  persons  could  no  longer  be 
saved. 

The  Roman  Church  possesses,  in  an  eminent  degree,  these  four 
prerogatives,  ist.  She  is  visible,  because  she  has  a  visible  head  in 
our  Holy  Father  the  Pope,  visible  ministers  in  the  bishops  and 
priests.  2d.  She  is  infallible,  for  our  Lord  has  given  to  her  this 
privilege  of  infallibility,  when  He  established  her  the  pillar  and 
ground  of  truth  (Tim.  in.  15)  ;  and  when  He  said,  speaking  to  the 
apostles,  and  to  their  successors  in  the  person  of  the  apostles  :  Go, 
and  teach  all  nations.  .  .  .  Behold  I  am  with  you  all  days,  even 
to  the  consummation  of  the  world  (Matt,  xxviii.  20).  In  fact,  where 
Jesus  Christ  is,  there  is  the  truth,  the  very  essence  of  truth  and  there 
can  be  no  error.  But  to  understand  this  well,  we  must  distinguish 
between  the  hearing  Church  and  the  teaching  Church.  The  hearing 
Church  is  composed  of  all  the  faithful  who  hear  and  believe  what  the 
Church  teaches ;  and  the  teaching  Church  comprises  all  the  bishops, 
with  the  holy  Father,  the  Pope,  at  their  head.  To  the  bishops,  col- 
lectively, with  the  Pope  at  their  head,  and  to  the  Pope,  individually, 
Christ  gave  infallibility.  The  bishops  enjoy  this  privilege,  either 
when  they  are  assembled  in  an  Ecumenical  Council,  or  when  they  re- 
main dispersed  all  over  the  world,  but  judge  dogmatically,  and  accord- 
ing to  canonical  rules.  When  the  Church  has  thus  pronounced  a 
decision  and  when  she  has  declared  anathema  against  all  those  who 
dare  to  maintain  the  contrary  of  what  she  teaches,  we  would  sin 
grievously  if  we  were  to  deny  the  truths  which  she  has  defined,  and 
we  would  be  heretics  if  we  would  obstinately  continue  in  our  denial. 

We  have  said  that  infallibility  was  granted  to  the  Church  collect- 
ively, that  is,  to  all  the  bishops,  with  the  Pope  at  their  head,  and 
individually  to  the  Pope  alone.     The  Pope  is  the  successor  of  St. 


ON  THE  CHURCH  m 

Peter.  Now,  our  Blessed  Lord  conferred  upon  St.  Yet^r personally 
and  independently  the  authority  of  infallible  teaching,  which  He  had 
just  given  to  all  the  apostles  dependently  on  and  subordinately  to 
St.  Peter;  At  the  Last  Supper  Jesus  singled  out  St.  Peter  from  the 
other  apostles,  and  addressed  him  thus:  Simon,  Simon,  behold  Satan 
hath  desired  to  have  you  that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat.  But  I  have 
prayed  for  thee  that  thy  Jaith  fail  not;  and  thou  being  once  converted^ 
confirm  thy  brethren  (Luke  xxii.  31—32).  St.  Peter  was  thus  made 
personally  infallible  in  his  teaching  as  head  of  the  Church,  for,  if  he 
himself  were  capable  of  erring,  he  could  not  confirm  his  brethren  in 
the  faith. 

The  fact  that  our  Saviour  gave  St.  Peter,  personally  and  independ- 
ently, the  power  of  teaching  infallibly,  is  the  foundation  of  what  was 
always  held  in  the  Catholic  Church  as  her  general  and  approved 
teaching.  When  the  Pope,  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  the  successor 
of  St.  Peter  publishes  any  decree  in  matters  of  faith  or  morals,  that 
is,  when  teaching  ex  Cathedra,  he  is  infallible.  This  doctrine, 
though  dragged  into  controversy,  as  far  back  as  the  fifteenth  century, 
was  not  solemnly  defined  until  1870  in  the  Vatican  Council. 

It  is  quite  different,  my  brethren,  with  the  doctrine  of  Protestant- 
ism, which,  by  its  principle  of  free  interpretation,  gives  every  one  the 
right  to  discuss  the  Scriptures  and  to  believe  only  what  seems  good 
to  him.  But  what  has  been  the  consequence?  Protestantism,  in  the 
same  measure  as  it  developed  itself,  became  divided  into  numberless 
sects,  each  accusing  and  combatting  the  other,  so  that  to-day  we 
cannot  find  two  among  them  that  have  the  same  belief.  This  is 
another  proof  that  the  Holy  Ghost  does  not  reside  with  them,  and  that, 
consequently,  their  religion  is  false.  These  endless  dissensions  and 
continual  differences  in  the  bosom  of  Protestantism  show  us  the  neces- 
sity of  an  infallible  authority  to  regulate  the  faith  and  settle  our  minds. 
Either  there  is  no  Church  at  all,  or  it  must  have  an  absolutely  in- 
fallible authority,  for  without  this  authority  it  could  not  form  a  body 
and  preserve  the  unity  necessary  to  it. 

3d.  The  Church  has  supreme  authority  for  the  government  of  con- 
sciences. Our  Lord  clothed  her  with  this  power  when  He  said  to  His 
apostles,  as  He  had  said  to  St.  Peter  in  particular  :  Whatsoever  you 
shall  bind  upon  earth  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven;  and  whatsoever 
vou  shall  loose  upon  earth,  shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven  (Matt, 
xviii.  18).     And  again  when  He  said  :  He  that  heareth  you  heareth 


112  FIRST  PART.      XXI.   INSTRUCTION 

me;  and  he  that  despiseth  you  despiseth  me  (Luke  x.  i6).  And, 
finally,  when  He  declared  that  he  who  does  not  hear  the  Church 
should  be  regarded  as  a  heathen  and  a  publican  (Matt,  xviii.  17). 
Jesus  Christ  gave  to  His  Church  His  own  authority ;  and,  conse- 
quently, to  disobey  her  would  be  to  disobey  Jesus  Christ  Himself. 
Whence  it  follows  that  the  commandments  which  the  Church  imposes 
upon  us,  such  as  those  of  fast  and  abstinence,  of  annual  confes- 
sion and  of  Easter  communion,  are  as  binding  upon  us  as  the  com- 
mandments of  God.  To  transgress  them  in  a  grievous  matter  would 
be  to  incur  damnation  ;  and  there  is  even,  in  certain  cases,  the  pain  of 
excommunication  for  those  who  refuse  to  acknowledge  this. 

4th.  Finally,  the  Roman  Church  will  last  until  the  end  of  the 
w^orld.  Our  divine  Saviour  made  this  magnificent  promise  when  He 
said  that  it  was  built  upon  a  rock,  and  that  the  gates  of  hell  should  not 
prevail  against  it  (Matt.  xv.  18).  According  to  the  language  of  the 
Scriptures,  the  gates  of  hell  signify  the  infernal  powers,  and  the  mal- 
ice and  impiety  of  men  inspired  by  the  devil,  who  will  always  be 
powerless  in  his  attacks  against  the  Church.  Christ  gave  to  His 
Church  a  new  assurance  of  perpetuity,  when,  before  ascending  into 
heaven,  He  solemnly  declared  that  He  would  be  with  her  until  the 
end  of  the  world.  Indeed,  how  could  our  Lord  be  with  His  Church 
if  this  Church  should  cease  to  exist? 

Besides,  my  brethren,  an  assured  pledge  of  this  promise,  and  a 
striking  proof  that  the  Church  will  not  perish,  is  the  fact  that  she  has 
existed  nearly  nineteen  hundred  years.  We  have  a  right  to  conclude 
that  she  will  exist  to  the  end  of  time.  If  the  Church  could  perish, 
then  certainly  she  would  have  perished  long  ago.  Indeed,  what 
attacks  had  not  the  Church  to  withstand,  and  to  what  trials  has  she 
not  been  subject  from  the  beginning  down  to  our  own  days!  During 
the  first  three  centuries,  the  entire  pagan  world  waged  a  bloody  war 
against  her  and  tried  to  crush  her  by  every  imaginable  means.  We 
cannot  read  the  history  of  so  many  thousands  of  martyrs  without 
shuddering  with  terror,  and  without  being  roused  to  indignation 
against  the  tyrants  of  this  epoch,  who  exhausted  everything  that  the 
evil  spirit  could  invent,  and  employed  the  most  barbarous  and 
atrocious  torments  in  order  to  make  the  Christians  abjure  their  faith. 
But  as  the  rage  and  fury  of  the  tyrants  redoubled,  the  number  of  the 
faithful  increased.  When  persecutions  ceased,  heresies  and  schisms 
arose.       Enemies  appeared   in   the   very  bosom   of   the   Church,  and 


ON   THE   CHURCH 


"3 


Arians,  Nestorians,  Pelagians,  Protestants,  Jansenists,  and  many 
other  heresies  followed  one  another  from  century  to  century,  and 
attacked  one  after  another  the  dogmas  of  the  Catholic  faith.  In 
modern  times,  my  brethren,  what  has  not  an  infidel  French  philo- 
sophical school  done,  what  efforts  were  not  made  by  Voltaire,  by 
Rousseau,  and  so  many  others,  to  destroy  not  only  the  Church,  but 
the  entire  Christian  religion!  What  treacherous  sophisms,  what 
sarcasms,  what  detestable  insults!  What  contempt  thrown  on  the 
dogmas  and  the  practice  of  faith!  Finally,  what  did  not  that  great 
French  Revolution  do,  nearly  a  hundred  years  ago,  the  fruit  of  the 
pernicious  doctrines  of  an  infidel  philosophy!  Everywhere  in  France 
altars  were  overthrown,  the  churches  closed,  and  streets  ran  with  the 
blood  of  the  priests,  bishops,  and  nobles  of  the  country.  If  the 
Church  had  not  been  maintained  by  some  divine  power,  it  would 
have  perished  hundreds  of  times  amid  such  terrible  trials  and  dreadful 
persecutions  of  every  kind.  But  the  hand  of  God  was  there,  and  the 
raging  waves  broke  against  this  immovable  rock.  Thrones  have 
tottered  and  fallen,  civil  constitutions  have  been  destroyed,  and 
society  itself  nearly  perished,  but  the  Church,  though  attacked  on 
every  side,  has  come  forth  triumphant  from  the  combat,  as  a  victorious 
soldier,  all  covered  with  blood,  comes  forth  from  a  battlefield.  The 
impiety  of  some  and  the  barbarity  of  others  have  only  added  to  the 
vigor  of  the  Church  and  served  to  render  her  more  resplendent  and 
beautiful.  Every  day  she  makes  new  conquests.  Bulgaria  has  just 
been  converted  and  has  reentered  the  bosom  of  unity ;  England  seems 
to  stretch  forth  its  arms  towards  the  Church  ;  China  has  opened  her 
ports  to  Catholic  missionaries,  and  in  these  United  States  the  Church 
has  made  immense  progress  during  the  last  hundred  years. 

But  what  has  been  the  lot  of  the  enemies  of  the  Church,  of  those 
who  sought  to  destroy  her?  Read  their  history.  What  a  spectacle! 
What  has  become  of  the  synagogue  which  tried  to  smother  the  rising 
Church  in  her  cradle?  It  is  gone,  and  those  infamous  tyrants  who 
tried  to  crush  her  in  her  growth,  they  are  dead  and  their  empire  is 
destroyed.  And  those  great  heresiarchs,  Arius,  Pelagius,  Nestorius, 
and  so  many  others?  They  are  dead,  and  the  doctrines  and  sects 
which  bore  their  names  are  only  a  memory.  And  what  of  Protestant- 
ism ?  It  is  split  into  numberless  sects  which  separate  themselves  more 
and  more  from  the  doctrines  of  their  founders,  and  are  lost  at  last  in| 
absolute  negation  of  all  the  truths  of  the  Gospel.  And  those  impious  ^ 
8 


114 


FIRST   PART.      XXI.    INSTRUCTION 


philosophers  of  the  last  century?  They  have  passed  like  a  torrent 
which  leaves  only  ruins  behind  it,  and  their  memory  has  fallen  into 
contempt. 

But  the  Church  cannot  die.  She  is  always  erect.  She  is  the  tree 
which  strikes  its  roots  deeper  the  older  it  grows  and  which  acquires 
new  force  to  resist  the  fury  of  the  wind  and  storm.  Ah !  indeed,  the 
Church,  or  the  light  of  faith  may  cease  to  shine  in  a  country !  It  has 
abandoned  Africa,  it  has  abandoned  England,  and  may  abandon  any 
country  which  continues  to  abuse  its  light  and  graces ;  but  if  the 
Church  leaves  one  place,  it  is  only  to  establish  itself  elsewhere,  and 
its  losses  will  always  be  compensated  by  new  conquests.  The  Church 
will  always  live,  until  the  time  shall  arrive  when  its  mission  will  be 
accomplished,  when  the  earth  will  be  destroyed,  and  when  eternity 
w^ill  commence. 

Let  us  deem  ourselves  happy,  my  brethren,  to  be  born  in  the 
bosom  of  the  true  Church  where  salvation  is  so  easy,  whilst  so  many 
thousands  have  such  great  difficulties  to  overcome,  and  are  in  danger 
of  being  lost  forever,  because  the  light  of  the  Gospel  is  unknown  to 
them.  But  let  us  not  limit  ourselves  to  a  cold  and  sterile  thankful- 
ness. ^*  Noblesse  oblige,'*  as  we  say  in  things  of  the  world;  with 
much  more  reason  faith  puts  us  under  obligations.  Since  the  Church 
is  our  mother,  since  she  has  brought  us  forth  to  Jesus  Christ,  and 
since  she  alone  can  lead  us  to  Him,  let  us  attach  ourselves  to  her,  let 
us  follow  her  maxims,  let  us  obey  her  precepts.  But  this  is  not  yet 
enough.  We  must  also  labor  to  spread  her  glory,  and  to  make  her 
loved  and  respected  by  all,  as  a  good  son  should  act  towards  his 
mother.  In  this  manner,  we  shall  share  in  her  blessings  and  favors 
here  upon  earth,  and  in  heaven  have  a  share  in  her  joys  and  triumphs. 
Amen. 


ON  THE   COMMUNION   OF   SAINTS  H^ 

XXII.     INSTRUCTION 

Ninth  Article  of  the  Creed  (  Concluded) 

On  the  Communion  of  Saints 

After  having  explained  to  you  what  the  Church  is,  under  what 
conditions  one  can  be  a  member  of  the  Church,  by  what  marks  it  can 
be  distinguished  from  heretical  and  schismatical  sects,  and  after  hav- 
ing enumerated  the  various  privileges  with  which  its  divine  founder 
has  endowed  it,  it  remains  for  me  to  speak  of  its  riches,  its  treasury  of 
grace,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  it  communicates  them  to  us  —  that 
is,  of  the    Communion  of  Saints. 

I.  What  do  we  understand  by  the  Communion  of  Saints?  We 
understand  two  things :  ist.  The  union  which  exists  among  the 
Saints  themselves.  2d.  Their  participation  in  the  spiritual  goods 
of  the  Church.  We  do  not  speak  here  of  the  Communion  which  we 
receive  at  the  holy  table,  and  which  constitutes  only  a  part  of  the 
treasures  of  the  Church,  but  we  speak  of  the  treasure  of  the  Church 
in  general,  of  the  share  each  member  of  the  Church  enjoys,  and  of 
the  ties  which  unite  the  members  to  one  another. 

But  who  are  the  saints  of  which  the  Creed  speaks?  Is  it  the  saints 
who  enjoy  eternal  happiness  in  heaven,  or  the  holy  souls  who  live 
upon  earth?  No,  my  brethren,  we  mean  all  the  faithful  who  are 
members  of  the  Church,  whether  they  be  holy,  or  whether  they  be 
sinners.  They  are  all  called  saints,  because  the  apostles  called  all 
the  faithful  saints,  in  the  Epistles  which  they  wrote  to  the  different 
churches.  At  the  head  of  their  Epistles  they  wrote  :  To  the  Saints 
of  the  Church  of  Rome;  To  the  Saints  of  Corinth;  To  the  Saints  of 
£phcsus,  etc.  In  the  first  centuries  there  were  almost  as  many  saints 
as  faithful.  Moreover,  we  all  have  been  sanctified  by  baptism,  and 
we  all  are  called  to  holiness.  We  do  not  speak  here  only  of  the 
faithful  upon  earth,  but  also  of  all  those  who  are  in  purgatory  or  in 
heaven;  for  the  triumphant  Church,  the  suffering  Church,  and  the 
militant  Church,  all  form  one  and  the  same  Church,  and  all  the  mem- 
bers form' only  one  and  the  same  mystical  body,  whose  head  is  Jesus 
Christ. 

II.  How  are  the  saints,  that  is,  all  the  faithful  on  earth,  in  purga- 
tory, and  in  heaven,  united  to  one  another?     They  are  all  members 


Il6  FIRST    PART.       XXII.    INSTRUCTION 

of  the  same  Body,  the  Church  ;  children  of  the  same  father,  Jesus 
Christ;  and  heirs  of  the  same  heavenly  kingdom. 

The  faithful  living  upon  earth,  be  they  just  or  be  they  sinners,  are 
united  to  one  another  by  partaking  of  the  same  sacraments  and  by  the 
submission  to  the  same  pastors.  And  if  they  are  all  in  the  state  of 
sanctifying  grace,  they  are  also  united  by  the  interior  ties  of  faith, 
hope,  and  charity,  the  same  bonds  that  unite  the  holy  souls  in  purga- 
tory. But  the  bond  of  charity  alone  unites  them  to  the  saints  in 
heaven,  for,  in  the  bosom  of  God,  there  is  no  longer  any  faith  or 
hope,  since  the  saints  in  heaven  see  and  enjoy  the  God  in  whom,  on 
earth,  they  believed  and  hoped. 

III.  It  follows  from  this  intimate  union  which  exists  among  the 
faithful  on  earth,  that  all  the  spiritual  goods  of  the  Church  are  com- 
mon to  them,  and  they  all  share  in  them,  each  according  to  his  state. 
The  comparison  of  the  human  body  will  make  this  clear.  In  the 
human  body  no  member  exists  and  labors  for  itself  alone,  but  all  work 
to  assist  one  another,  and  the  good  of  each  is  the  good  of  all  the  others. 
Thus,  the  eye  does  not  see  for  itself  alone,  but  serves  to  direct  the 
hands  and  the  feet ;  the  feet  move  for  the  good  of  the  whole  body,  and 
the  stomach  digests  for  the  nourishment  and  support  of  all  the  mem- 
bers. Such  is  the  harmony  which  reigns  in  the  whole  body  of  the 
Church.  The  prayers  and  other  good  w^orks  of  each  one  do  not  profit 
him  alone,  but  contribute  to  the  good  of  all  the  faithful.  Thus,  when 
I  pray  it  is  not  only  for  myself  that  I  pray,  but  for  the  whole  Church. 
When  I  do  penance,  or  when  I  give  alms,  it  is  for  the  whole 
Church  that  I  do  it ;  each  member  of  the  Church  has  a  share  in  the 
good  work  according  to  his  dispositions,  as  I  myself  have  a  share  in 
all  the  prayers  and  good  works  of  all  the  faithful. 

But  to  explain  this  difficult  matter  more  clearly,  we  must  distin- 
guish two  kinds  of  spiritual  goods  in  the  treasury  of  the  Church;  the 
general,  or  the  external  goods,  and  the  particular,  or  internal  goods. 
The  general  goods  are  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  the  Sacraments,  the 
preaching  of  the  word  of  God,  the  offices  of  the  Church,  burial,  and 
other  religious  ceremonies.  The  particular  goods  are  the  prayers, 
fasts,  alms,  mortifications,  and  other  good  works  of  each  one  in  par- 
ticular, and  the  indulgences  which  each  individual  gains. 

As  to  the  general  and  exterior  goods,  only  those  that  belong  to  the 
body  of  the  Church  can  partake  of  them.  Apostates,  heretics,  schis- 
matics, and  excommunicated   persons  have   no   share   in   the   general 


ON   THE   COMMUNION  OF   SAINTS 


"7 


treasures  of  the  Church.  We  call  apostates,  or  renegades,  those  who 
leave  the  Catholic  faith  to  embrace  a  false  religion.  Heretics  are 
those  who  join  a  religion  condemned  by  the  Church.  Schismatics  are 
those  who  refuse  to  submit  to  their  lawful  pastors,  and  who,  without 
altering  the  faith,  form  a  separate  society.  Excommunicated  are 
those  persons  whom  the  Church  has  cut  off  from  her  communion  in 
punishment  for  some  crime.  Such  rebellious  and  unnatural  children 
can  no  longer  be  admitted  to  the  Sacraments,  nor  —  in  Catholic  coun- 
tries—  can  they  assist  at  the  offices  of  the  Church,  nor  receive  Chris- 
tian burial. 

As  to  the  faithful  who  still  belong  to  the  Church  by  exterior  bonds, 
but  who  are  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin,  they  can  still  share  in  these  gen- 
eral goods  of  the  Church.  They  may,  therefore,  assist  at  the  offices 
of  the  Church,  listen  to  the  word  of  God,  and  receive  the  Christian 
burial,  except  in  certain  cases  provided  by  the  sacred  canons,  such 
as  suicide,  or  death  in  the  act  of  crime.  They  can  even  be  admitted 
to  the  Sacraments,  but  only  after  a  good  and  sincere  penance ;  and 
the  Church,  always  a  good  and  tender  mother,  never  ceases  to  exhort 
them  to  penance. 

But  the  faithful  who  are  in  the  state  of  mortal  sin,  although  en- 
joying a  share  in  the  external  goods  of  the  Church,  can  have  no  share 
in  the  particular  goods  of  the  Church,  such  as  the  prayers,  alms,  pen- 
ance, and  indulgences  of  the  faithful.  Being  dead  to  grace,  they  are 
like  paralyzed  members  which  partake  no  longer  of  the  life  of  the 
body,  or  like  a  dry  branch  through  which  the  sap  of  the  tree  no  longer 
circulates.  But  pious  souls  can  pray  for  those  in  mortal  sin,  and 
obtain  for  them  the  grace  of  conversion.  Only  those  who  are  in  the 
state  of  grace  can  have  part  in  all  the  interior  goods  of  the  Church. 
If  we  are  in  the  state  of  sanctifying  grace,  there  is  not  a  prayer,  not  a 
fast  nor  an  alms-deed,  not  a  Mass  without  our  having  a  large  share  in 
the  work.  All  this  contributes  to  our  sanctification  and  assists  us  to 
acquire  greater  merits.  What  a  consolation,  my  brethren,  for  a  faith- 
ful soul  to  know  that  he  partakes  in  all  the  Masses  which  are  said 
every  day.  and  in  all  the  churches  of  the  world,  and  in  all  the  good 
works,  in  all  the,  mortifications  that  are  practiced!  What  a  powerful 
motive  for  us  to  persevere  in  virtue  and  grace,  if  we  have  the  happi- 
ness to  be  in  that  state,  and  what  an  incentive  to  regain  the  state  of 
grace  as  soon  as  possible,  if  we  have  had  the  misfortune  to  fall  into 
mortal   sin  I 


Il8  FIRST   PART.       XXII.    INSTRUCTION 

IV.  What  a  source  of  consolation  it  is,  my  brethren,  to  know  that 
the  Communion  of  Saints  unites  us  with  the  saints  in  heaven  and  with 
the  holy  souls  in  purgatory !  The  saints  in  heaven  who  already  en- 
joy the  eternal  happiness  have  no  need  of  our  prayers  and  good  works. 
They  have  finished  the  race,  they  have  received  their  reward,  and  there 
remains  nothing  for  them  to  desire.  But  we  can  praise  their  virtues, 
celebrate  their  triumphs,  and  beg  their  intercession.  Although  they 
have  no  need  of  us,  we  have  need  of  them,  and  faith  teaches  us  that 
they  are  always  ready  to  help  us,  and  that  they  enjoy  great  credit 
with  God,  Hence  the  practice  of  invoking  the  protection  of  the 
saints  in  public  calamities  as  well  as  in  particular  necessities. 

The  souls  in  purgatory  can  help  us  but  little,  according  to  the 
common  opinion  of  the  Doctors  of  the  Church,  Shut  up  in  their  fiery 
prison,  their  time  of  merit  is  past.  They  can  do  nothing  for  them- 
selves and  nothing  for  us.  But  what  they  cannot  do,  we  can  do,  and 
it  devolves  upon  us  to  relieve  them,  and  even  to  deliver  them,  by  our 
prayers  and  good  works.  As  the  saints  who  are  in  heaven  can  assist 
us  by  their  prayers,  so,  also,  we  can  contribute  to  the  deliverance  to 
these  unfortunate  souls,  not  only  by  our  prayers,  but  also  by  our  mor- 
tifications, fasts,  alms,  indulgences,  and,  especially,  by  the  application 
of  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  My  brethren,  a  day  will  come 
when  these  holy  souls,  powerless  now,  can  be  infinitely  useful  to 
us;  for  once  admitted  into  heaven,  they  will  remember  those  who 
remembered  them,  and  they  will  repay  a  hundredfold  all  that  we 
have  done  for  them. 

We  give  thee  thanks,  O  God,  because,  by  a  particular  favor,  thou 
hast  made  us  members  of  this  holy  society !  How  beautiful  and  con- 
soling is  the  faith  of  our  Church !  But  let  not  this  faith  remain 
barren  in  our  souls;  and  since  it  teaches  us  that  the  state  of  grace  is 
necessary  in  order  that  we  may  share  in  the  prayers  and  good  works 
of  the  faithful,  let  us  try  to  be  always  in  a  state  of  grace ;  let  us 
redouble  our  zeal  and  fervor  for  the  relief  of  our  brethren  who  are 
in  purgatory  and  who  claim  our  help,  and  let  us  invoke  the  assistance 
of  those  other  brethren  who  have  finished  their  earthly  pilgrimage, 
and  who  have  gained  the  celestial  inheritance,  in  order  that  they  may 
assist  us  also  to  merit  eternal  glory.     Amen. 


ON  THE   REMISSION   OF   SINS  up 


XXIII.  INSTRUCTION 
Tenth  Article  of  the  Creed 

The  Forgiveness  of  Sins 

Just  as  the  doctrine  of  the  Communion  of  Saints  consoles  the 
Christian  who  lives  by  faith,  so  does  the  dogma  of  the  remission  of 
sins.  We  are  sinners  from  our  birth,  and  what  would  become  of  us 
if  God's  justice  were  inexorable,  and  if,  after  having  once  incurred 
His  wrath,  there  should  be  no  means  left  to  reconcile  ourselves  with 
Him?  But  God  is  goodness  itself.  He  did  not  create  us  to  be  lost; 
and  so,  foreseeing  our  weakness  and  frailty,  He  gave  His  Church  the 
power  to  remit  sins.  And  He  even  made  the  power  of  forgiveness  of 
sins  an  article  of  faith,  so  that  neither  the  number,  nor  the  enormity 
of  our  crimes,  might  ever  discourage  us. 

I.  Only  God  has  the  power  of  forgiving  sins,  because  only  the 
one  against  whom  the  offense  is  committed  can  forgive  it.  This  is 
why  the  Pharisees  were  scandalized  when  they  heard  the  Saviour  say 
to  the  paralytic  :  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.  They  murmured  loudly 
against  Him,  saying:  Who  can  forgive  sins  but  God  alone  ?  But  our 
Lord  confounded  them  instantly  :  That  you  may  know  that  the  son  of 
man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,  .  .  .  I  say  to  thee  : 
Arise,  take  up  thy  bed  and  go  into  thy  house  (Luke  v.  20-24)  ;  thus 
proving  to  them  His  divinity  in  the  plainest  manner,  because  the 
divine  power  is  not  less  necessary  for  miracles  than  for  sin  itself. 

II.  But  the  one  who  has  the  power  to  forgive  sins,  can  undoubt- 
edly commit  it  to  others;  and  this  is  what  our  divine  Saviour  did  when 
He  said  to  His  apostles:  Whatsoever  you  shall  bind  upon  earth,  shall 
be  bound  also  in  heaven;  and  whatsoever  you  shall  loose  upon  earth, 
shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven  (Matt,  xviii.  18).  And  this  power,  to 
bind  and  to  loose,  is  nothing  else  than  the  power  to  forgive  or  to 
retain  sins.  Our  Lord  expressed  Himself  in  a  still  clearer  manner, 
when,  on  the  eve  of  His  ascension,  He  spoke  to  His  apostles  these 
solemn  words:  As  the  leather  has  sent  me,  I  send  you;  receive  ye  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven  ;  and 
whose  sins  you  shall  retain,  they  are  retained  (John  xx.  23).  What 
could  be  clearer  and  more  precise?  But  our  Saviour  did  not  mean  to 
confer  this  power  upon  His  apostles  only;  He  wished  to  grant  it  also 


120 


FIRST   PART.      XXIII.    INSTRUCTION 


to  their  successors  until  the  end  of  the  world.  For  the  fruit  of  His 
death  was  to  remain  forever ;  the  gates  of  heaven  were  always  to  be 
open  to  the  faithful ;  man  ought  to  be  always  able  to  say :  /  believe  in 
the  remission  of  sins.  Faith  teaches  us  that  the  pow^er  to  judge  con- 
sciences and  to  remit  sins  has  passed  from  the  apostles  to  the  bishops 
whom  they  consecrated,  and  from  the  bishops  to  their  lawful  suc- 
cessors, who  have  communicated  it,  and  communicate  it  still,  to  all 
those  w^hom  they  ordain  to  the  divine  ministry ;  and  it  will  be  trans- 
mitted in  the  same  manner  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

III.  Did  you  ever  seriously  reflect  on  this  great  and  ineffable 
power  which  God  has  bestowed  upon  the  priests  to  remit  sins?  A 
simple  priest,  a  mortal  man  like  you,  to  be  invested  with  the  power 
to  say  to  any  sinner,  even  to  the  greatest  criminal  in  the  world  :  Go  in 
p^ace,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee!  After  the  power  of  consecrating  the 
body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  there  is  no  power  on  earth  greater 
than  this.  The  priests  of  the  Old  Law  had,  indeed,  the  power  to  de- 
clare the  healing  of  a  leper,  but  they  had  not  the  power  of  curing  him. 
Kings  and  princes  of  the  earth  can  act  only  on  the  body,  but  they 
have  no  power  over  the  soul.  The  angels  themselves  in  heaven  can- 
not remit  one  single  venial  sin.  There  is  no  power  upon  earth  or 
evqn  in  heaven  that  can  be  compared  to  the  power  of  the  priest.  If 
you  should  see  a  priest  go  up  to  a  grave  and  call  a  dead  man  to  life, 
you  would  be  amazed  at  the  miracle,  and  justly  so.  But  is  it  not  a 
more  wonderful  thing  to  raise  a  dead  soul  to  the  life  of  grace,  to 
snatch  it  from  the  slavery  of  the  devil,  and  open  to  it  the  gates  of 
heaven?  This  is  what  the  priest  does  in  the  sacrament  of  penance. 
Sitting  in  the  tribunal  of  penance,  as  a  judge  on  the  bench,  he  decides 
upon  the  state  of  consciences  and  the  salvation  of  souls ;  he  pro- 
nounces sentence,  he  absolves  or  retains  sins,  and  whatever  he  does, 
God  holds  as  done  by  Himself,  and  ratifies  the  act  in  heaven. 

Such  is  the  pow^er  which  Jesus  gave  to  the  priests,  such  is  the  pre- 
eminent dignity  with  which  He  has  invested  them.  Is  there  anything 
else  necessary  to  render  them  worthy  of  all  your  respect?  And  re- 
member that  God  has  not  only  allowed  them  to  remit  slight  faults  or 
failings,  but  all  kinds  of  sins,  however  numerous  and  grievous  they 
may  be.  He  wished  that  there  should  be  no  sin  that  could  not  be  for- 
given, except  final  impenitence,  or  death  in  sin.  This  is  a  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost,  of  which  our  Saviour  said  that  it  shall  not  be  remitted 
either  in  this  world,  or  in  the  world  to  come.      It  cannot  be  remitted 


ON   THE    REMISSION   OF   SINS  1 21 

in  this  world,  because  the  sinner  refuses  repentance  until  to  the  very 
end,  and  it  cannot  be  remitted  in  the  next  world,  because  after  death 
there  is  no  longer  any  forgiveness  of  sin.  But  it  is  not  less  true  that 
in  this  world  God  never  rejects  a  contrite  and  humble  heart,  and  that 
He  has  given  to  His  Church  the  power  to  remit  all  sins.  Let  us  bless 
the  Lord,  my  brethren,  for  this  grace  ;  and  however  great  our  guilt, 
let  us  never  be  discouraged.  But  let  us  also  be  careful  not  to  fall  into 
the  contrary  excess ;  and  let  not  an  over-confidence  in  the  goodness  of 
God  be  a  motive  of  offending  Him  anew.  Woe  to  us  if  we  are 
wicked  because  God  is  good.  His  justice  is  as  great  as  His  mercy, 
and  sooner  or  later  He  will  demand  a  strict  account  of  such  malice 
and  such  ingratitude. 

IV.  The  sacraments  by  which  the  Church  remits  sins,  are  baptism 
and  penance.  Baptism  remits  original  sin  and  all  the  sins  one  may 
have  committed,  after  attaining  the  age  of  reason.  Penance  remits 
the  sins  committed  after  baptism.  The  sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction 
has  also  the  power  of  remitting  sins  in  certain  cases,  as  when  a  sick 
person  is  unable  to  make  his  confession. 

But  it  is,  especially,  the  sacrament  of  penance  that  has  been  insti- 
tuted for  the  remission  of  sin.  We  shall  explain  this  sacrament  in 
the  proper  place.  However,  I  cannot  let  this  favorable  occasion  pass 
by  without  saying  a  few  words  on  the  great  benefits  it  procures  for 
us,  or  without  exhorting  you  often  to  have  recourse  to  it.  We  often 
greatly  deceive  ourselves  in  regard  to  the  sacrament  of  penance.  We 
look  upon  confession  as  a  thing  so  hard  and  so  painful,  that  some 
evade  it  altogether,  and  others  make  use  of  it  as  seldom  as  possible. 
And,  nevertheless,  my  brethren,  after  Holy  Communion  there  is  noth- 
ing more  consoling,  more  useful,  and  more  salutary  than  confession. 
Is  it,  then,  a  matter  of  indifference  to  be  enabled,  by  so  simple  a  means, 
to  obtain  pardon  of  all  our  sins,  to  escape  eternal  damnation  which 
we  have  incurred,  and  to  regain  all  our  rights  to  heaven?  Moreover, 
what  means  is  there  more  efficacious  than  confession  to  remind  us 
of  our  duties,  and  what  bulwark  more  sure  against  the  raging  of  our 
passions!  And  what  peace,  what  calm,  what  joy,  does  confession 
not  procure  to  the  soul !  You  feel  that  a  great  burden  has  been  raised 
from  off  the  soul.  The  words  of  the  priest :  Go  in  peace,  thy  sins  are 
forgiven  thee,  bring  you  unspeakable  happiness.  It  was  this  that 
made  TertuUian  say  that  the  happiness  of  a  sinner  on  earth  is  pen- 
ance:   Poenitentia    hominis   rei  felicitas.      Undoubtedly,   you   have 


J 22  FIRST   PART.      XXIII.    INSTRUCTION 

experienced  this.  Were  you  ever  happier  and  more  content  than 
when  leaving  the  tribunal  of  penance  absolved  from  your  sins,  after 
a  long  course  of  iniquity  and  shame !  Every  day  we  priests  see 
examples  of  the  happiness  confession  procures.  Ah !  how  many 
sinners  have  cast  themselves  at  the  feet  of  the  priest  with  a  con- 
science full  of  trouble,  anxiety,  and  bitterness,  and  who  have  risen 
so  consoled,  so  happy,  that  they  seemed  to  carry  heaven  in  their  heart ! 
It  is  related  that  a  wealthy  man,  having  had  the  misfortune  to  com- 
mit a  grievous  fault,  was  so  filled  with  shame  that  he  never  had  the 
courage  to  confess  the  sin.  Having  heard  some  one  say  that  there 
was  no  obligation  to  confess  forgotten  sins,  he  tried  by  every  means 
to  lose  all  remembrance  of  the  sin  which  caused  him  so  much  shame. 
He  indulged  in  entertainments,  in  long  travels,  in  serious  studies ; 
he  tried  everything  to  ease  his  conscience  ;  but  all  in  vain.  His  sin 
was  always  before  his  eyes ;  and  as  time  went  on  remorse  oppressed 
him  all  the  more.  In  his  despair  he  resolved  to  put  an  end  to  his 
life,  and  he  was  already  on  his  way  to  accomplish  his  purpose.  But 
a  kind  Providence  was  watching  over  him.  He  met  a  holy  priest, 
who  divined  the  state  of  his  soul.  The  holy  man  spoke  to  the  sinner 
of  confession,  he  exhorted  and  encouraged  him  to  penance ;  he  even 
went  so  far  as  to  ask  him  whether  it  was  not  a  certain  crime,  naming 
the  sin,  that  alarmed  him  so  much.  It  w^as  the  very  sin  that  he  had  so 
long  concealed.  The  unfortunate  sinner  fell  at  the  feet  of  the  holy 
man,  made  his  confession,  opened  his  heart  to  him,  and  received  abso- 
lution. His  joy  was  unbounded,  and  he  said  to  the  holy  priest:  "O 
Father,  from  how  much  anguish  of  mind  confession  has  delivered 
me !  O,  what  a  serenity,  and  what  a  joy  a  good  confession  brings 
to  the  soul !  '* 

V.  Since  such  are  the  graces  and  consolations  which  the  sacra- 
ment of  penance  procures  to  us,  let  us  often  have  recourse  to  it.  And 
you  especially,  sinners,  who  are  in  a  state  of  spiritual  death,  removed 
from  God  and  on  the  road  to  hell,  why  do  you  neglect  so  sure  and  so 
efficacious  a  remedy?  Do  not  let  false  shame  or  human  respect  deter 
you.  When  there  is  a  question  of  peace  and  of  the  salvation  of  your 
soul,  can  you  give  way  to  such  a  weakness.?  Do  not  content  your- 
selves with  an  annual  confession  during  Easter  time ;  come  often  to 
plunge  yourselves  into  this  wholesome  bath.  This  is  the  duty  which 
you  should  remember  every  time  you  recite  the  tenth  article  of  the 
Creed  :  /  believe  in  the  forgiveness  of  sins.     If  you  believe  that  the 


ON   THE   RESURRECTION  OF   THE   BODY 


123 


priest  has  received  from  Jesus  Christ  the  power  to  absolve  you,  is  it 
not  criminal  negligence  not  to  have  recourse  to  his  sacred  ministry? 
In  order  that  it  may  produce  happy  fruits  in  your  souls,  try  to  bring 
to  the  sacred  tribunal  the  necessary  dispositions — I  mean  that  pro- 
found sorrow  for  your  faults,  and  that  sincere  resolution  to  amend 
them,  without  which  everything  else  is  useless.  You  will  obtain  par- 
don and  mercy,  will  draw  down  upon  yourselves  treasures  of  graces, 
and  will  open  to  yourselves  the  gates  of  eternal  life.     Amen. 


XXIV.     INSTRUCTION 
Eleventh  Article  of  the  Creed 
/  Believe  in  the  Resurrection  of  the  Body 

I.  To  RISE  again,  my  brethren,  is  to  come  to  life  again  after  death. 
The  words  :  /  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  signify  there- 
fore :  I  believe  that  the  dead  shall  rise  again.  And  we  say  :  I  believe 
in  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  not  in  the  resurrection  of  man, 
because  man  does  not  die  entirely ;  only  his  body  dies.  Thus,  by  this 
article  we  make  profession  of  faith  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul. 
We  profess  to  believe  that  the  body  and  soul  will  be  reunited  at  the 
last  day;  and  that  all  the  bodies  which  are  moldering  in  the  earth,  or 
buried  in  the  depths  of  the  sea,  will  gather  all  the  members  of  which 
they  were  composed,  will  resume  their  original  shape,  and  be  human 
creatures  again  as  before. 

This  important  truth  is  attested  by  both  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
tament, as  well  as  by  tradition:  I  know,  said  the  holy  man  Job,  in  his 
afflictions,  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  in  the  last  day  I  shall 
rise  out  of  the  earth.  And  I  shall  be  clothed  again  with  my  skin,  and 
in  myfesh  I  shall  see  my  God  (Job  xix.  25—26). 

It  was  by  this  same  faith  that  the  Machabees  consoled  themselves 
in  the  midst  of  cruel  torments  which  the  impious  Antiochus  caused 
them  to  endure.  Thou,  indeed,  O  most  wicked  man,  cried  out  one  of 
them  on  the  point  of  death,  destroyest  us  out  of  this  wicked  life;  but 


124 


FIRST   PART.      XXIV.    INSTRUCTION 


the  King  of  the  "world  "will  raise  us  up,  ivho  die  for  his  latvs,  in  the 
resurrection  of  eternal  life  (II.  Mach.  vii.  9). 

The  hour  cometh,  says  Jesus  Christ,  wherein  all  that  are  in  the 
graves  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God.  And  they  that  have 
done  good  things  shall  come  forth  unto  the  resurrection  of  life,  but 
they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  judgment  (  John 

V.  28). 

/  know,  said  Martha,  that  my  brother  shall  rise  again  in  the  resur- 
rection at  the  last  day  (John  xi.  24).      God,  says  St.  Paul   (I.  Cor. 

VI.  14),  hath  raised  up  the  Lord^  and  will  raise  us  up  also  by  His 
own  power. 

St.  Gregory  relates  that  Eutychius,  Patriarch  of  Constantinople, 
who  did  not  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  having  fallen  sick 
and  finding  himself  at  the  point  of  death,  desired  to  make  a  public 
retraction  of  his  error,  and  in  the  presence  of  assistants,  he  re- 
peated several  times  the  following  words :  ^*  I  believe  and  confess 
that  we  all  shall  rise  again  in  the  flesh.  I  have  erred  when  I  said 
and  maintained  the  contrary.**  And  after  having  made  this  solemn 
profession  of  faith,  he  recommended  himself  to  God  and  died  in 
peace. 

II.  It  is  an  article  of  faith  that  we  all  shall  rise  again,  and  that  we 
shall  rise  with  the  same  body  which  we  had  during  life ;  with  this 
difference,  however,  that  then  we  shall  no  longer  be  subject  to  the 
imperfections  we  had  during  life.  Thus,  after  the  resurrection,  the 
blind  will  recover  their  sight,  the  crippled  will  have  the  use  of  their 
members.  Our  body  will  be  restored  in  its  perfection  and  its  natural 
integrity.  We  shall  rise  again,  not  in  a  state  of  infancy,  not  in  a 
state  of  old  age,  but  in  a  state  of  perfect  manhood,  just  as  Adam  came 
forth  from  the  hands  of  his  Maker.  But,  according  to  St.  Augustine, 
the  martyrs  will  rise  with  the  scars  of  the  wounds  they  received  for 
Christ,  and  they  will  be  to  them  a  glory  and  a  triumph. 

When  the  end  of  the  world  shall  have  come,  the  angels  will  sound 
the  trumpet  to  the  four  ends  of  the  world,  and  will  call  the  dead  to 
rise,  and  to  appear  before  the  judgment  seat  of  God.  Instantly,  obe- 
dient to  the  voice  of  heaven,  all  the  bodies  that  sleep  in  the  dust  shall 
rise  as  a  man  whom  one  wakes  up  after  a  long  sleep ;  the  bowels  of 
the  earth  and  the  depths  of  the  seas  will  give  up  the  bodies  of  all 
men  ;  in  an  instant  all  their  bones  and  flesh  will  be  joined  together, 
and  the  soul  of  each  descended  from  heaven,  or  come  forth  from  hell 


ON   THE   RESURRECTION   OF   THE   BODY  ,25 

or  purgatory,  will  be  united  to  the  body  which  it  had  animated  in 
this  world,  never  more  to  be  separated  from  it. 

How  can  such  a  wonder  take  place?  Nothing  is  impossible  with 
God.  If  with  one  word  He  could  draw  the  world  and  all  creatures 
out  of  nothing,  why  should  He  not  be  able  to  draw  forth  the  dead 
from  the  graves  and  restore  them  to  life?  Tou  asked  me,  said  St.  Paul 
to  the  infidels  of  his  time,  how  do  the  dead  rise  again.  .  .  .  Sense- 
less man,  that  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened,  except  it  die  first 
(I.  Cor.  XV.  35—36).  It  is  thus  that  God  will  raise  you  to  life  again 
whenever  He  wishes  and  in  the  manner  He  wishes,  and  it  will  not  be 
more  difficult  for  Him  to  gather  the  different  parts  of  your  body  at 
the  end  of  the  world,  than  it  was  for  Him  to  create  the  world  out  of 
nothing. 

Do  you  desire  to  know  the  reason  why  God  wishes  to  raise  our 
body  to  life  again  ?  It  is  to  make  it  partake  of  the  eternal  happiness 
or  unhappiness  of  which  the  soul  will  already  be  in  possession.  As 
upon  earth,  the  body  shares  after  its  own  manner  in  all  the  good  the 
soul  does,  in  all  the  good  works  and  in  all  the  virtues  it  practices,  it  is 
but  just  that  it  should  also  partake  in  its  rewards.  So,  also,  as  it  is  an 
accomplice  in  all  the  evil  that  the  soul  does,  and  in  all  its  vices,  it 
must  also  share  in  its  chastisements  and  torments. 

III.  Therefore,  we  all  shall  rise  again  one  day,— all,  great  and 
small,  rich  and  poor,  saints  and  sinners.  In  whatever  condition  Prov- 
idence permitted  us  to  be  born,  we  shall  rise  again  with  the  same 
flesh  in  which  we  are  clothed,  with  the  same  eyes,  hands,  and  members 
we  have  now.  But  shall  we  rise  again  in  the  same  manner  and  in  the 
same  state?  No,  my  brethren,  as  much  as  the  lot  of  the  just  and  of 
sinners  will  be  different  in  eternity,  so  much  will  their  resurrection  be 
different.  The  bodies  of  the  just  like  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  risen 
from  the  dead,  will  have  four  glorious  qualities  :  impassibility,  agility, 
subtility,  and  brightness. 

1.  Impassibility. —  There  will  be  no  more  of  those  alterations  of 
sickness  and  health,  of  heat  or  cold,  for  the  bodies  of  the  just ;  no 
more  hunger  or  thirst,  no  more  fatigue,  no  more  corruption,  no  death; 
but  on  the  contrary,  a  continual  state  of  pure  pleasure  and  sweet  en- 
joyment :  //  shall  rise  in  incorruption  (I.  Cor.  xv.  42). 

2 .  Agility. —  Instead  of  that  vulgar  mass  which  we  drag  along  so 
painfully  during  the  sad  days  of  our  mortality,  the  elect  will  have  a 
body  of  extreme  agility,  that  will  permit  them  to  transport  themselves 


126  FIRST   PART.      XXIV.    INSTRUCTION 

from  one  place  to  another  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning  and  without 
pain  and  without  effort :  //  shall  rise  in  power  (I,  Cor,  xv.  43). 

3.  Subtility. —  That  earthly  flesh  which  now  serves  us  as  a  cover- 
ing, will  be,  in  some  sort,  spiritualized.  But  it  will  still  be  flesh,  says 
St.  Augustine,  and  not  a  spirit.  But  in  preserving  its  nature,  it  will 
have  acquired  such  properties,  that  no  material  obstacle  will  be  able 
to  stop  it.  It  will  be  able  to  penetrate  the  hardest  and  most  compact 
bodies,  without  breaking  them,  just  as  the  light  passes  through  glass. 
It  was  thus  that  our  Saviour,  after  His  resurrection,  entered  the  Cen- 
acle,  although  the  doors  were  closed  :  //  shall  rise  a  spiritual  body  (I. 
Cor.  XV.  44). 

4.  Brightness. — The  bodies  of  the  just  will  be  brilliant  like  the 
sun:  Then  shall  the  just  shine  as  the  sun  (Matt.  xiii.  43)  ;  just  as  the 
adorable  body  of  Jesus  Christ  in  His  transfiguration  on  Mount  Tha- 
bor.  But  the  splendor  of  the  glorious  bodies  will  be  greater  or  less, 
according  to  the  degree  of  their  virtues  and  merits.  The  sun  has  his 
brightness,  the  moon  has  hers,  and  the  stars  have  theirs ;  so,  also,  the 
bodies  of  the  blessed  will  differ  in  brightness  according  as  they  are 
elevated  in  glory  :  //  shall  rise  in  glory  (I.  Cor.  xv.  43). 

Such  are  the  ravishing  qualities  of  the  bodies  of  the  blessed.  But 
how  different  will  be  the  bodies  of  the  damned !  While  the  bodies 
of  the  saints  will  be  resplendent  with  glory  and  full  of  agility  and 
power,  exempt  from  all  pain  and  infirmity ;  the  bodies  of  the  damned, 
on  the  contrary,  plunged  in  a  dungeon  of  horror  and  darkness,  over- 
whelmed with  shame  and  ignominy,  will  have  to  suffer  unspeakable 
torments  during  all  eternity.     What  a  subject  for  reflection ! 

Consider  those  youths,  once  proud  of  their  bodies,  who  were  so 
careful  of  their  bodily  charms,  so  afraid  of  spoiling  their  beauty  by  a 
day  of  fast  or  by  an  act  of  mortification !  Look  at  the  bodies  of  those 
who  fattened  in  delights  and  who  lived  in  effeminacy  and  pleasures ! 
O,  what  a  stench !  What  a  horrible  sight !  What  hideous  monsters ! 
They  enjoyed  the  false  pleasures  and  the  transitory  happiness  of  the 
world,  and  now  they  are  deprived  forever  of  the  sovereign  good  and 
of  supreme  felicity !  They  shunned  even  the  slightest  sacrifices,  the 
smallest  privations  which  religion  imposes  upon  us,  and  now  they 
are  condemned  to  unspeakable  humiliations  and  sufferings,  and  that 
forever. 

IV.  We  all  shall  rise  again,  some  to  eternal  happiness,  others  to 
endless  suffering.     If  we  are  of  the  number  of  the  elect,  what  a  joy 


ON   THE   RESURRECTION   OF   THE   BODY 


127 


to  see  ourselves  associated  with  all  the  blessed,  and  to  enjoy  the  sight 
of  God,  and  to  celebrate  His  praises!  But  if  we  are  of  the  number  of 
the  damned,  what  a  gloomy  despair  to  behold  ourselves  thrown,  body 
and  soul,  into  the  fire  of  hell  for  all  eternity ! 

My  brethren,  what  fruits  should  we  derive  from  this  great  truth? 
First,  a  great  zeal  in  regulating  our  conduct,  so  as  to  keep  ourselves 
always  in  the  state  of  grace,  for  fear  of  being  surprised  by  death. 
"I  shall  rise  one  day,**  we  should  say  to  ourselves,  "but  in  what  state 
shall  I  rise?  **  If  I  were  to  die  at  this  moment,  would  I  join  the  num- 
ber of  the  elect?  Or  would  I  be  damned?  And  death  may  surprise 
me  at  any  moment.     Do  we  not  hear  of  sudden  deaths  every  day? 

A  second  fruit  which  we  should  derive  from  the  hope  of  a  future 
resurrection,  is  that  we  have  in  this  truth  a  great  subject  of  consola- 
tion in  the  afflictions  of  life.  Indeed,  what  can  be  better  calculated 
to  sweeten  our  pains,  and  to  calm  our  griefs  here  below,  than  that 
certitude  which  we  have  that  they  will  end  one  day,  and  that  our 
body,  so  frail  and  suffering  here  on  earth,  will  rise  again  to  enjoy  a 
happiness  all  the  greater  the  more  we  will  have  suffered  for  Jesus 
Christ.  In  all  things  vje  suffer  tribulations^  says  St.  Paul,  but  we 
are  not  distressed;  we  are  straitened,  but  we  are  not  destitute;  we 
suffer  persecution,  but  we  are  not  forsaken;  we  are  cast  down,  but  we 
perish  not.  .  .  .  Knowing  that  He  who  raised  up  fesus  will 
raise  us  up  also  with  yesus  (II.  Cor.  iv.  8,  14).  It  was  this  same 
thought  that  upheld  the  martyrs  in  their  torments,  and  the  anchorites 
in  the  wilds  of  the  desert,  and  which  still,  every  day,  upholds  and 
encourages  so  many  just  and  afflicted  souls  who  would  otherwise  suc- 
cumb under  the  weight  of  their  sufferings. 

Let  us  often  reflect  seriously  on  the  general  resurrection.  This 
salutary  thought  will  detach  us  from  the  world  and  its  vain  pleasures, 
it  will  strengthen  us  against  our  passions  and  against  the  temptations 
of  the  world ;  it  will  assist  you  to  practice  virtue  and  the  good  works 
which  religion  commands  us,  and  thus,  by  making  us  live  the  life  of 
Jesus  Christ  on  earth,  it  will  make  us  partakers  of  His  glory  in 
heaven.     Amen. 


J  28  FIRST   PART.       XXV.    INSTRUCTION 

XXV.  INSTRUCTION 
Twelfth  Article  of  the  Creed 

/  Believe  in  Life  Everlasting 

We  have  come  to  the  last  article  of  the  Creed,  which  treats  of 
eternal  life.  This  article  is  placed  the  last,  because  all  the  others 
refer  to  it.  God  created  us,  redeemed  us,  and  instituted  the  sacra- 
ments and  all  the  other  means  of  salvation,  only  to  lead  us  to  eternal 
life.  Is  there  a  future  life?  And  if  there  is,  what  is  the  nature  of 
this  future  life?  Oh,  the  folly  of  men  who  do  not  think  of  a  future 
life!     Behold  the  subject  of  the  instruction  for  to-day. 

I.  When  I  speak  of  a  future  life,  I  do  not  need  to  tell  you  that 
there  is  question  of  a  life  which  will  succeed  the  present  one  and  in 
which  God's  justice  will  reward  virtue  and  punish  vice.  To  convince 
you  of  the  existence  of  a  future  life  I  need  only  ask  the  following 
questions:  Is  there  a  God?  Fdr  if  there  is  a  God,  He  must  distin- 
guish between  vice  and  virtue,  between  man  as  a  sinner  and  a  saint; 
He  must  reward  the  good  and  punish  the  wicked,  in  proportion  to 
their  merits.  Where  would  be  the  justice  of  God,  where  would  be 
His  wisdom,  if  everybody  were  permitted  to  live  according  to  his. 
own  caprices;  if  theft,  homicide,  and  adultery  were  so  many  indiffer- 
ent acts  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  if  we  had  to  fear  neither  punishment 
for  our  faults,  nor  reward  for  our  virtues? 

But  do  we  see  any  just  retribution  in  this  world?  On  the  con- 
trary, does  it  not  mostly  happen  that  the  holiest  souls,  the  most  char- 
itable and  the  most  edifying  men,  groan  under  the  weight  of  misery 
and  are  oppressed  with  infirmities,  persecutions,  and  ignomy,  whilst 
the  wicked,  the  impious,  and  the  debauched  live  in  pleasures  and 
abundance,  are  raised  to  honors,  and  enjoy  a  consideration  which  they 
never  have  merited.  Surely  it  is  not  in  this  world  that  virture  is 
rewarded  and  vice  punished,  as  they  deserve ;  and  so  there  must  be, 
therefore,  another  world  where  justice  is  meted  out.  The  evidence  of 
this  truth  is  so  apparent  that  it  has  been  acknowleged  at  all  times  and 
in  all  nations.  *  Go  back,"  says  the  famous  Massillon,  "to  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world ;  travel  over  the  whole  earth ;  read  the  history  of 
kingdoms  and  empires ;  listen  to  those  that  come  from  the  remotest 


ON   LIFE    EVERLASTING  1 20 

lands;  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  the  dogma  of  a  future  life  has 
always  been,  as  it  is  still,  the  belief  of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
Catholics  and  heretics,  Christians  and  infidels,  Jews  and  pagans,  even 
the  most  savage  tribes,  witness  to  the  truth  of  a  future  life."  Now,  a 
belief  so  universal  and  unanimous  is  surely  an  incontrovertible  proof 
of  the  reality  of  a  future  life ;  and  could  God,  who  is  wisdom  itself, 
have  left  all  men  in  error  at  all  times? 

But  a  still  more  convincing  proof,  and  one  which  cannot  leave  any 
doubt  in  a  Catholic  soul,  is  the  revelation  which  God  Himself  was 
pleased  to  make  in  the  Sacred  Books,  and  through  the  teaching  of  the 
Church.  I  shall  not  quote  all  these  oracles ;  suffice  it  to  recall  to  your 
mind  the  words  of  the  prophet  Daniel  who  teaches  us  that  those  who 
sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake;  some  unto  life  everlasting, 
and  others  unto  reproach^  to  see  it  forever  (Dan.  xii.  2).  And  the 
words  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who,  on  the  day  of  judgment,  will 
turn  to  those  at  His  right  and  say  to  them:  Come^ye  blessed  of  my 
father^  possess  you  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation 
of  the  -world;  and  then,  addressing  those  at  His  left:  Depart  from 
me^  you  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  -which  was  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels.  And  then  adds  the  Gospel,  the  one  -will go  into 
everlasting  punishment,  and  the  others  into  everlasting  life  (Matt. 
XXV.  34-36). 

You  see,  my  brethren,  that  according  to  these  texts  and  many 
others  which  I  could  quote,  the  dogma  of  another  life  could  not  be 
revealed  to  us  in  a  plainer  manner.  The  Fathers  of  the  Church  and 
all  tradition  have  always  been  one  in  teaching  this  great  truth.  We 
make  profession  of  this  faith  every  time  w^e  recite  the  Apostles'  Creed, 
and  say,**  I  believe  in  life  everlasting.** 

It  is  an  article  of  faith,  that  after  this  life  there  will  be  another  one 
in  which  each  one  will  be  rewarded  or  punished  according  as  he  de- 
serves. We  cannot  doubt  this  truth  any  more  than  we  can  doubt  the 
existence  of  God  Himself,  or  any  other  truth  of  religion.  This  truth 
serves  as  foundation  to  the  whole  edifice  of  faith,  and  being  the  only 
sanction  of  the  law,  we  would  have  to  reject  the  entire  Gospel  and 
repudiate  our  quality  as  Christians,  if  we  would  refuse  to  believe  it ; 
and  not  only  would  we  be  Christians  no  longer,  but  we  would  be  worse 
than  pagans,  because  there  was  never  any  religion  in  the  world  which 
did  not  teach  the  truth  of  a  future  life,  nor  was  there  ever  a  people 
that  did  not  believe  in  it. 
9 


I-O  FIRST  PART.      XXV.    INSTRUCTION 

II.  But  what  will  this  future  life  be?  The  life  to  come  must  be 
considered  under  a  double  aspect,  as  the  reward  of  the  good  and  as 
the  punishment  of  the  wicked.  The  place  where  the  just  will  receive 
their  reward  is  called  heaven  ;  the  place  where  the  wicked  will  suffer 
their  punishment  is  called  hell.  Now,  two  things  will  constitute  the 
happiness  of  the  blessed  in  heaven  ;  exemption  from  all  evil,  and  the 
enjoyment  of  every  good ;  as,  on  the  other  hand,  for  the  damned,  it 
will  be  the  privation  of  every  good  and  the  combination  of  every  evil 
that  will  constitute  their  eternal  punishment. 

In  heaven  there  will  be  no  more  sickness,  no  more  infirmities,  no 
more  pains ;  suffering,  sadness,  and  sorrow  will  be  banished  forever ; 
there  will  be  no  more  troubles  and  anxieties,  no  more  temptations,  no 
evil  of  any  kind:  And  God  'will  wipe  away  all  tears  (Apoc.  xxi.  4). 
In  heaven  the  elect  will  enjoy  all  the  happiness  they  can  possibly  de- 
sire, because  God  Himself  will  be  their  reward.  /  am  thy  reward  ex- 
ceedingly great  (Gen.  XV.  i).  The  apostle  St.  Paul,  desirous  of  giv- 
ing us  an  idea  of  the  happiness  of  heaven,  was  unable  to  find  suitable 
words,  and  he  limits  himself  to  telling  us  that  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
■ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  the  heart  of  7nan,  what  things  God 
hath  -prepared  for  them  that  love  him  (I.  Cor.  11.  9).  ^*  In  heaven,'* 
says  St.  Augustine,  "  we  shall  see  God,  and  in  seeing  Him  we  shall 
love  Him ;  and  in  loving  Him  we  shall  bless  Him.**  In  heaven,  we 
shall  see  God,  7iot  in  a  mystery  and  through  the  shadows  of  faith,  as 
upon  earth,  but  face  to  face  and  such  as  He  is  (John  iii.  2)  ;  that  is, 
in  all  His  perfections  and  in  all  His  infinite  loveliness.  And  in 
Seeing  God,  we  shall  see  at  the  same  time  the  whole  heavenly  court. 
■We  shall  see  the  Blessed  Virgin,  sitting  on  a  throne  of  glory,  inferipr 
indeed  to  God,  but  above  all  that  is  not  God.  We  shall  see  that  nuni- 
berless  multitude  of  blessed  spirits,  glorious  as  the  sun.  The  sight  of 
so  many  wonders  will  plunge  us  into  such  an  ecstasy  of  love  and  jpy 
that  our  hearts  will  be  fully  satisfied  :  /  shall  be  satisfied  when  the 
glory  shall  appear  (Ps.  xvi.  15).  And  in  this  sweet  inebriation  of 
ineffable  happiness  we  shall  break  out  into  sublime  canticles  of  bless- 
ing and  thanksgiving,  and  we  shall  intone  that  eternal  Alleluia  and 
that  eternal  Amen  with  which  the  vaults  of  heaven  are  continually  re- 
sounding. 

•  •  But  in  the  same  degree  as  the  happiness  of  the  saints  in  heaven  is 
'great  and  ravishing,  so  the  lot  of  the  damned  in  hell  is  frightful  and 
desperate.     The  privation  of  God  and  of  heaven  which  they  have  lost 


ON  LIFE  EVERLASTING  l^i 

through  their  own  fault ;  the  pain  of  fire,  according  to  the  common 
opinion  of  the  Doctors  of  the  Church,  and  of  a  fire  which  will  burn 
continually  without  consuming  them,  and  so  fiercely  that  all  the  fires 
of  the  earth  are  as  nothing  in  comparison  with  it ;  such  are,  in  a 
few  words,  the  torments  of  hell. 

III.  What  will  be  the  duration  of  this  future  life,  of  this  life 
of  happiness  or  of  torments?  It  will  be  eternal:  /  believe  in  life 
everlasting.  The  eternity  of  the  life  that  awaits  us  is  an  incontest- 
able truth  of  the  Christian  faith.  The  divine  oracles  do  not  leave 
room  for  any  doubt:  And  these  shall  go  into  everlasting  punishment 
(Matt.  XXV.  46).  I  am  well  aware  that  many  infidels  have  protested 
against  this  eternity  of  hell.  But  such  is  the  teaching  of  faith,  and 
unless  we  reject  the  entire  Gospel,  we  cannot  reject  this  truth. 
"But,*  you  may  say,  "how  can  a  crime  of  a  moment  be  punished 
with  an  eternity  of  torments?'^  But  is  the  punishment  of  a  crime 
measured  by  its  duration?  The  punishment  is  measured  by  the 
nature  and  enormity  of  the  crime.  Human  justice  condemns  crimi- 
nals to  death  and  to  hard  labor  for  life  for  a  crime  of  a  moment. 
"But,*  you  may  ask,  "  what  becomes  of  God's  goodness  and  mercy?  * 
But  let  me  ask  you  in  my  turn,  what  would  become  of  His  wisdom 
and  of  His  justice,  if  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  were  not  equal 
to  the  reward  of  the  just ;  if  vices  and  passions  were  not  checked 
through  the  fear  of  an  eternal  punishment?  God  is  good,  undoubt- 
edly, and  He  shows  His  goodness  by  the  numberless  graces  with 
which  He  overwhelms  us  every  day.  But  because  He  is  good,  must 
He  cease  to  punish  miserable  sinners  who  died  in  their  sin  and  who 
cursed  His  goodness?  And  if  the  damned  in  hell  are  eternally  curs- 
ing God,  who  created  and  redeemed  them  at  the  price  of  His  blood, 
must  not  the  same  God  also  eternally  punish  them?  Cannot  a  God, 
who  is  infinitely  good,  place  us  in  the  alternative  either  to  merit 
by  our  virtues  an  eternal  happiness  or  to  draw  upon  us,  by  our  sins, 
everlasting  torments?  Besides,  my  brethren,  who  are  we  that  aspire 
thus  to  regulate  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  God?  Who  are  we  that 
pretend  to  understand  the  whole  extent  of  the  malice  contained  in 
mortal  sin,  and  of  the  outrage  which  it  commits  against  the  Supreme 
Majesty?  If  it  needed  the  blood  of  a  God-man  to  expiate  upon  the 
cross  the  sins  of  men,  is  an  eternity  of  torments  too  much  to  punish 
it  as  it  deserves?  Be  this  as  it  may,  God  has  spoken,  the  Church 
teaches,  and  all  tradition  affirms  this  truth.     Such  is,  therefore,  our 


132 


FIRST    PART.       XXV.    INSTRUCTION 


faith,  and  whatever  our  proud  reason  may  maintain,  we  must  submit ; 
the  cause  is  judged. 

There  is  an  eternity!  And  what  will  this  eternity  be?  Ah,  my 
brethren,  who  can  conceive  a  correct  idea  of  eternity?  In  this  w^orld 
we  can  compare  the  most  dissimilar  things  to  one  another,  because 
there  is  always  some  analogy,  some  resemblance  that  admits  of  a  com- 
parison. Thus,  I  can  compare  a  drop  of  water  to  the  most  extensive 
sea,  because  the  sea,  however  extensive  it  may  be,  is,  however,  only  a 
composition  of  drops  of  water;  thus,  I  can  compare  a  grain  of  sand  to 
the  earth,  because  the  earth  is  only  a  composition  of  grains  of  sand. 
But  there  is  nothing  in  this  world  that  we  can  compare  to  eternity. 
Time  has  no  relation  with  it,  because  eternity  is  no  succession  of  cen- 
turies, or  of  years,  or  of  moments.  You  might  make  all  kinds  of 
suppositions  and  calculations,  but  never  would  you  arrive  at  an 
understanding  of  what  eternity  is.  Suppose  you  had  passed  in 
heaven  or  in  hell  as  many  millions  of  centuries  as  there  are  leaves  on 
the  trees  in  spring,  or  grains  of  sand  upon  earth,  or  stars  in  the  firma- 
ment, you  would  scarcely  have  commenced  eternity.  Imagine  for  a 
moment,  that  an  ant  w^ould  come  once  ev'ery  thousand  years  and  carry 
to  the  sea  all  the  sand  on  the  shore,  bringing  one  grain  every  time. 
Since  the  beginning  of  the  world,  it  would  have  removed  only  six  or 
seven  grains.  Still  the  time  would  come  when  all  the  sand  would  be 
removed,  and  even  the  mountains  and  rocks  could  be  carried  away, 
grain  by  grain, —  and  thousands  of  worlds  like  this  could  be  carried 
off  in  the  same  manner, —  but  eternity  would  hardly  have  commenced. 
Eternity  is  an  abyss  which  has  neither  bottom,  nor  shores,  it  is  like  a 
circle,  never  commencing  and  never  ending.  I  transport  inyself  in 
spirit  to  heaven,  and  at  the  sight  of  those  torrents  of  delight  with 
which  the  elect  are  deluged,  I  ask  them  how  long  their  joy  and  happi- 
ness will  last?  And  they  answ^er  me:  ** Forever  and  forever.'*  I 
descend  in  spirit  into  hell,  and  at  the  sight  of  that  ocean  of  flames, 
where  so  many  thousands  of  victims  are  burning,  I  ask  them  how 
long  those  torments  and  that  despair  ^vill  last?  And  they  answer 
me  :  '■^  Forever  and  forever.  ** 

IV.  Such  is,  my  brethren,  the  teaching  of  faith  in  regard  to  the 
next  world.  Is  there  a  truth  more  consoling,  and  at  the  same  time 
more  frightful?  Is  there  one  more  worthy  of  serious  meditation? 
But  alas!  who  is  there  that  thinks  seriously  of  eternity?  People  think 
continually  of  the  affairs,  of  the  pleasures,  of  the  goods,  and  of  the 


ON   DEATH  ,,, 

vanities  of  this  world,  and  hardly  find  a  moment  to  think  of  eternity. 
It  is  hard  to  understand  this  apathy  and  indifference  on  a  subject  so 
important.  Even  were  it  doubtful  whether  there  is  an  eternity  or 
not,  would  not  prudence  require  us  to  prepare  for  it?  But  if  we 
have  faith,  and  believe  that  there  is  a  happy  eternity  for  the  good, 
and  an  unhappy  eternity  for  the  wicked,  is  it  not  an  unpardonable 
rashness,  an  unpardonable  folly,  not  to  think  about  it?  Oh,  sinners 
(for  sinners  alone  are  capable  of  such  blindness),  you  believe  that  there 
is  a  hell,  and  you  do  nothing  to  avoid  it!  You  believe  that  there  is 
a  heaven,  and  you  do  everything  to  lose  it!  You  sleep  on  the  very 
brink  of  a  precipice.  You  do  not  realize  that  death  may  surprise  you 
at  any  instant,  that  at  any  moment  you  might  be  hurried  off  into 
eternity.  What  folly!  What  rashness!  But  I  know  the  cause  of 
such  deplorable  forgetfulness.  The  passions  of  the  heart,  ill-gotten 
goods,  human  respect,  and  criminal  relations,  .  .  .  such  are  some 
of  the  things  that  blind  you.  But  what  good  will  all  these  do  you,  if 
you  lose  your  soul  ?  Can  you  not  make  some  sacrifices  when  there  is 
question  of  saving  your  immortal  soul,  and  of  escaping  eternal  pun- 
ishment ? 

My  brethren,  I  implore  you,  think  about  eternity,  and  act  as  you 
would  have  wished  to  have  acted  on  the  day  of  your  death.  That 
day  is,  perhaps,  nearer  than  you  believe;  if  you  were  sure  to  die  on 
this  very  day,  or  during  this  night,  what  would  you  not  do  to  prepare 
yourselves?  Therefore,  let  us  do  now  what  we  would  wish  to  have 
done  then  ;  let  us  keep  ourselves  always  ready.  In  this  way  death 
will  never  surprise  us,  and  we  will  merit  to  find  grace  at  the  judgment 
seat  of  God,  and  be  admitted  to  a  happy  eternity,  which  I  wish  to 
you  all.     Amen. 


XXVI.     INSTRUCTION 

On    the    Four    Last    Ends    of    Man 

The  four  last  ends  of  man  are  Death,  Judgment,  Heaven,  and 
Hell.  In  the  last  instruction  we  have  sufficiently  spoken  of  heaven 
and  hell.     The  eleventh  instruction  was  devoted  to  the  last  judgment. 


134 


FIRST   PART.      XXVI.    INSTRUCTION 


There  remains  for  us,  therefore,  to  speak  only  on  the  first  of  these 
ends,  which  is  death.  The  thought  of  death,  the  necessity  of  prepar- 
ing for  death,  and  the  manner  of  preparing  for  it  —  these  will  form 
the  three  heads  of  my  instruction. 

I.  We  must  all  die.  The  sentence  has  been  passed  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  and  we  all  know  with  what  rigor  it  has 
always  been  executed:  //  is  appointed  unto  man  once  to  die  (Heb. 
IX.  27). 

If  you  wish  to  be  penetrated  with  the  salutary  thought  of  death, 
you  need  only  glance  at  the  sad  spectacle  of  this  world,  and  ask  your- 
selves what  has  become  of  all  the  many  generations  that  have  lived 
before  us.  What  has  become  of  the  patriarchs  and  prophets  of  the 
Old  Law;  of  the  apostles  and  doctors  of  the  New  Law?  What  has 
become  of  the  proud  kings,  the  famous  conquerors,  of  the  men  illus- 
trious for  their  learning,  who  once  filled  the  earth  with  their  fame, 
and  whose  memory  history  has  preserved  to  us?  What  has  become 
of  our  ancestors,  and  even  of  many  persons  whom  we  have  known  in 
life,  whom  we  visited  and  loved,  but  whom  we  see  no  longer?  Ah! 
they  were  once  what  we  are  to-day  upon  earth ;  like  ourselves  they 
gave  themselves  to  agriculture,  to  commerce,  and  to  arts,  but  their  last 
hour  sounded,  the  sovereign  judge  called  them  before  His  dread  tri- 
bunal, and  they  died  :  It  is  appointed  unto  man  once  to  die. 

We  must  die !  All  nature  unceasingly  preaches  the  thought  of 
death.  The  sun  which  rises  and  sets,  the  rivers  which  flow  on  for- 
ever to  the  sea,  the  trees  which  winter  robs  of  their  leaves,  the  flowers 
which  bloom  in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening  fade  away;  all  crea- 
tures that  rise  and  disappear,  all  tell  us  that  thus  we  shall  live  and 
die,  that  we  are  only  simple  travelers  upon  earth,  and  that  each  pass- 
ing day  is  a  step  nearer  to  the  tomb:  //  is  appointed  unto  man 
once  to  die. 

We  must  die  !  And,  my  brethren,  do  we  not  find,  even  in  our- 
selves, foreshado wings  of  death?  Our  strength  decreases,  our  mind 
becomes  weaker  every  day,  our  body  is  consumed  little  by  little,  ill- 
nesses and  infirmities  oppress  us,  and  all  this  is  not  for  us  an  answer 
of  death  ?  as  St.  Peter  says.  Dost  not  all  this  announce  to  us  that  we 
must  die?     It  is  appointed  unto  man  once  to  die. 

We  must  die !  Does  not  the  tolling  of  the  funeral  bell  remind  us 
of  death?  Do  not  the  daily  funeral  processions  remind  us  of  our  own 
end?     The  name  of  the  dead  that  you  hear  read  every  Sunday,  the 


ON    DEATH 


135 


mourning  dress  that  people  wear  —  all  remind  you  of  death  :   //  is 
appointed  unto  man  once  to  die. 

Let  us  think  of  death,  and  think  of  it  often.  Is  there  a  thought 
that  is  more  salutary ;  is  there  one  that  contains  so  many  grave  and 
solemn  teachings  on  the  frailty,  vanity,  and  nothingness  of  things 
here  below?  How  can  we  attach  ourselves  to  the  perishable  goods 
of  this  world  when  we  remember  that  we  must  quit  them  in  a  very 
short  time,  and  leave  them,  perhaps,  to  ungrateful  heirs,  who  will 
hardly  think  of  us,  and  who  will  squander  in  a  few  years,  in  luxury 
and  debauchery,  the  fruit  of  our  lifelong  labor  and  economy?  How 
can  a  person  attend  dances,  plays,  and  vain  pleasures  of  this  world, 
while  he  remembers  that  death  is  ever  at  our  heels?  Does  a  con- 
demned criminal  laugh  and  joke  on  his  way  to  the  gallows?  O, 
death,  how  good  and  salutary  is  the  remembrance  of  thee!  O, 
deaths  thy  sentence  is  welcome  to  the  man  that  is  in  need  (Eccl. 
XLI.  3)- 

II.  But  it  is  not  sufficient  to  meditate  on  death,  we  must  also 
seriously  prepare  for  it.  Time  is  fleeting,  the  hour  of  death  is  uncer- 
tain, and  the  consequences  of  death  are  all-important. 

I  St.  Time  is  Jleeting.  Indeed.,  says  St.  James,  ivhat  is  the  life  of 
man  upon  earth?  It  is  a  vapor  ivhich  appear eth  for  a  little  while 
and  afterwards  shall  vanish  away  (James  iv.  15).  It  is  a  torrent, 
says  the  prophet,  a  cloud,  a  wind,  a  shadow,  which  pass  without 
leaving  behind  the  least  trace.  I  feel.,  says  St.  Paul,  that  my  years 
pass  away.,  that  my  life  is  gliding  by.,  that  the  time  of  my  dissolution 
approaches.,  and  that  each  day  removes  something  from  my  frail  exist- 
ence (I.  Cor.  XV.  31).  And,  indeed,  hardly  are  we  born  than  we 
commence  to  die.  Death  gains  upon  us  every  moment,  and  as  many 
days  and  years  as  we  have  lived,  so  many  days  and  years  are  we 
nearer  death.  How  must  we  not  wonder  at  people  when  we  hear 
them  counting  the  number  of  their  years.  I  am  twenty  years  old, 
says  one ;  I  am  thirty,  says  an  other.  O,  foolish  man,  says  a  pagan 
philosopher,  these  years  are  not  yours;  it  is  death  that  has  robbed  you 
of  them.  And  the  number  of  the  few  years  that  are  still  left  to 
you  to  pass  upon  earth  will  soon  have  passed  away  like  a  dream. 
For  it  is  written  that  there  is  only  one  step  between  life  and  death 
(I.  Ki.  XX.  3). 

But  if  death  is  so  near,  is  it  not  time  for  us  to  prepare  for  it? 
And  are  a  few  years,  or  a  few  days  too  much,  when  there  is  question 


136 


FIRST   PART.      XXVI.    INSTRUCTION 


of  ejirning  an  eternity  of  happiness,  or  of  avoiding  an  eternity  of 
misfortune  ? 

2d.  A  still  more  powerful  motive  is  the  uncertainty  of  death. 
When  shall  we  die?  Shall  it  be  in  a  few  years  or  in  a  few  days? 
We  do  not  know.  Shall  it  be  suddenly,  or  after  a  long  illness?  We 
do  not  know.  Shall  it  be  in  youth,  or  in  full  manhood,  or  in  a  ripe 
age?  Shall  it  be  at  home,  in  our  bed,  or  among  relatives  and  friends, 
or  in  the  street,  or  far  from  home,  without  assistance?  We  do  not 
kno\v.  Shall  there  be  a  priest  at  our  bedside  with  all  the  consolations 
of  religion,  or  shall  we  die  without  confession,  without  any  sacra- 
ment? Shall  we  die  in  the  state  of  grace,  or  in  sin,  under  the  curse 
of  God's  anger,  or  in  the  peace  of  the  Lord?  Shall  ours  be  the  death 
of  the  just,  or  the  death  of  the  damned?     We  do  not  know. 

But  what  we  do  know  is  that  death  will  surprise  us  when  we  least 
think  of  it.  We  may  die  at  any  age.  Youth  is  no  inore  secure  than 
old  age  against  the  surprises  of  death.  Sudden  deaths  are  very  com- 
mon. Every  day  we  hear  of  some  one  being  dead,  of  some  one  who 
is  dying.  This  one  was  struck  with  apoplexy,  that  one  was  killed  by 
lightning;  one  was  drowned,  another  was  burned  to  death. 

3d.  The  most  powerful  motive  to  induce  us  to  prepare  for  death  is 
the  consideration  of  the  terrible  consequences  of  the  hour  of  death. 
We  must  leave  everything :  goods,  riches,  pleasures,  relations,  and 
friends.  Our  body  will  fall  into  corruption  and  dust.  Look  into  a 
coffin  and  contemplate  the  hideous  spectacle !  Oh,  youth  and  maidens 
so  infatuated  with  your  beauty,  see  what  will  become  of  you!  Liber- 
tines, misers,  debauchees,  and  drunkards,  look  at  what  awaits  you! 

If  all  were  over  at  death,  if  there  were  nothing  beyond  the  grave, 
then  we  would  not  need  to  be  afraid  at  the  thought  of  death ;  but 
what  will  become  of  our  immortal  soul?  At  present  we  do  not  know; 
but  at  death  the  veil  will  be  raised,  the  cloud  will  disappear,  and  our 
last  hour  will  decide  for  us  an  eternity  of  happiness  or  an  eternity  of 
misery.  On  whatever  side  the  tree  shall  fall  there  it  shall  remain. 
The  bed  on  which  you  will  die  will  be  the  first  tribunal  where  you 
will  be  judged.  There  is  no  interval  between  death  and  judgment, 
nor  between  judgment  and  eternity.  In  the  morning  we  hear  that 
some  one  is  dying,  and  in  the  evening  we  are  told  that  he  is  dead ; 
this  means  that  his  fate  has  been  settled  for  all  eternity,  that  he  has 
been  judged  on  a  life  like  our  own,  that  is,  on  a  life  of  zeal,  or  a  life 
of  indifference,  on  a  life  of  crimes  or  of  virtues;  judged  by  a  just  and 


ON  DEATH  1^7 

inexorable  God,  who  knows  all  and  pardons  nothing;  finally,  judged 
forever  and  without  appeal  —  judged  for  all  eternity. 

Oh,  God!  how  terrible  is  this  last  moment!  Oh,  death,  how  can 
we  think  of  thee,  without  thinking  at  the  same  time  of  penance?  No 
one,  my  brethren,  who  has  faith,  can  seriously  consider  this  supreme 
moment  without   resolving  to  lead  a  better  life. 

III.  These  are  the  three  great  motives  that  should  lead  us  to  pre- 
pare for  death  :  The  shortness  of  life,  the  uncertainty  of  the  hour  of 
death,  and  the  terrible  consequences  of  death.  But  let  us  also  con- 
sider the  manner  of  preparing  for  death. 

1st.  Before  all,  my  brethren,  you  must  renounce  sin  and  all  the  occa- 
sions of  sin  ;  for  without  this  first  disposition,  all  the  others  would  be 
useless.  And  you  must  do  so  without  delay,  because  the  least  delay 
might  put  you  in  danger  of  being  lost  forever.  You  may  have  ill- 
gotten  goods  to  restore,  you  may  have  to  be  reconciled  to  an  enemy, 
you  may  have  to  break  off  some  evil  habit.  Is  it  not  folly  to  perse- 
vere in  evil,  when  you  know  that  life  is  so  short  and  so  uncertain, 
and  when  a  sudden  and  unforeseen  accident  might  cast  you  into  eternal 
misery  ? 

2d.  You  must  do  penance  for  your  sins.  St.  Ambrose  says,  that  to 
have  sinned  once  is  sufficient  reason  for  continual  penance.  What, 
then,  should  he  do  whose  whole  life  has  been  one  long  chain  of  sins.? 

3d.  You  must  make  a  good  use  of  the  time  God  gives  you.  Alas! 
life  is  so  short !  What  remorse  will  be  yours  at  death  if  you  find 
yourselves  with  empty  hands ;  if  you  have  no  good  works  to  offer  to 
the  Sovereign  Judge !  On  the  other  hand,  what  a  consolation  if,  like 
the  good  servant  in  the  Gospel,  we  can  say  :  Lord,  Thou  hast  en- 
trusted to  me  five  talents;  behold,  I  have  gained  with  them  five  more. 
As  long  as  we  have  time,  let  us  trj'  to  do  good  :  Whilst  zve  have  time, 
let  us  vjork good  to  all  men  (Gal.  vi.  10).  Let  us  attach  ourselves  to 
the  service  of  God,  let  us  rigorously  embrace  the  practice  of  virtue; 
let  us  combat  our  passions  and  vices;  in  a  word,  let  us  prepare  our- 
selves now  as  we  would  like  to  be  prepared  at  the  supreme  hour  of 
death. 

4th.  You  should  often  think  of  death.  The  Holy  Ghost  teaches  us 
that  there  is  no  more  useful  and  more  salutary  thought,  no  thought 
more  suitable  to  turn  us  away  from  sin  :  In  all  thy  works,  remember 
the  last  end,  atid  thou  shall  never  sin  (Eccl.  vii.  40).  It  is  an  ex- 
cellent practice  to  choose  every  month,  or  at  least  every  year,  a  day  of 


138 


FIRST   PART.      XXVI.    INSTRUCTION 


retreat  to  prepare  one's  self  for  death.  Go  to  confession  and  com- 
munion on  that  day,  recite  the  office  of  the  dead,  or  the  prayers  for 
the  dying,  meditate  seriously  on  the  four  last  ends  of  man,  recommend 
yourself  earnestly  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  to  your  guardian  angel,  and 
your  patron  saint,  begging  them  to  obtain  for  you  the  grace  of  a 
happy  death. 

But  you  should  not  be  satisfied  with  thinking  of  death  once  in  a 
while.  You  should  think  of  it  every  morning  on  rising,  by  imagin- 
ing that  the  present  day  will  perhaps  be  the  last  for  you.  You 
should  think  of  it  in  the  evening  on  going  to  bed,  by  representing  to 
yourselves  that  perhaps  the  sheets  in  which  you  are  going  to  sleep 
may  be  your  winding-sheet  to  carry  you  to  the  grave.  You  should 
think  of  it  at  the  beginning  of  your  principal  actions,  by  asking  your- 
selves the  question  which  St.  Bernard  often  asked  himself :  **  If  thou 
shouldst  die  at  this  moment,  what  wouldst  thou  do?  In  what  manner 
wouldst  thou  do  it  ?  ^*  You  should  think  of  it  when  the  clock  strikes 
the  passing  of  another  hour;  you  should  think  of  it  when  you  are  ill 
and  suffering. 

5th.  The  affairs  of  your  soul  are,  undoubtedly,  the  most  important. 
But  in  occupying  yourselves  with  your  eternal  interests,  do  not  for- 
get your  temporal  affairs.  Make  your  will,  and  do  not  wait,  as  it  too 
often  happens,  until  you  are  dangerously  sick,  until  the  last  moment; 
for,  besides  the  danger  of  not  making  it  at  all,  a  sick  man  is  often  not 
in  the  right  frame  of  mind  to  understand  what  he  is  doing,  and  he  is 
often  unable  to  make  his  will  as  it  suits  him,  because  he  may  be  un- 
duly influenced  by  greedy  friends  and  relatives.  In  the  distribution 
of  your  goods,  think  also  of  yourself,  remember  the  poor,  and  remem- 
ber the  Church,  if  your  means  allow  you;  for  perhaps  it  is  the  only 
advantage  which  you  will  derive,  after  your  death,  from  the  goods 
which  you  have  so  painfully  acquired. 

These,  my  brethren,  are  the  different  means  of  preparing  your- 
selves for  death.  The  most  important  of  all  is  to  think  often  about 
it,  and  to  keep  yourselves  always  in  the  state  of  grace,  for  fear  of 
being  surprised  by  death.  But  if  God  is  pleased  to  admonish  you  by 
some  serious  illness,  you  should  hasten  to  prepare  yourselves  in  a  more 
immediate  manner.  Penetrate  yourselves  more  and  more  with  senti- 
ments of  contrition,  charity,  and  resignation,  which  the  Lord  demands 
from  you.  Do  not  be  afraid  to  call  the  priest  as  soon  as  possible  to 
hear  your  confession  and  to  administer  the  last  sacraments,  while  you 


ON  DEATH 


139 


are  still  in  possession  of  your  faculties.  Do  not  look  with  too  much 
security  on  God's  judgment,  or  on  the  abyss  of  eternity  which  lies 
open  before  you  ;  but  have  a  wholesome  fear  of  God's  justice.  To 
revive  your  confidence,  look  at  the  Crucifix.  You  can  hope  every- 
thing from  a  God  who  died  for  you  upon  a  cross.  And  when  your 
hour  has  come,  invoke  anew  the  holy  name  of  Jesus,  give  up  your 
soul  into  His  hands ;  thus  you  will  merit  to  die  a  good  and  holy  death. 
You  will  leave  this  life  of  misery  and  afflictions,  and  go  into  eternal 
happiness.     May  God  grant  you  this  grace.      Amen. 


SECOND  PART 

ON   HOPE   AND   PRAYER 

I.     INSTRUCTION 
On    Hope 


lopK,  which  is   the  second   of  the   three  theological  virtues,  is 

a  gift  of  God  by  which  we  expect,  with  a  firm  confidence, 

the  goods  which  God  has  promised  us. 

We  say  :    ist.   That  it  is  a  gift  of  God:   for  it  is  with  hope  as  with 

faith ;    God  must   give  it  to  us ;    w^e   cannot   acquire  it   by  our   own 

power;   we  can  only  ask   for  it,  and  then   strengthen   it  by  frequent 

acts, 

2d.  That  hope  makes  us  expect  the  goods  which  God  has  promised 
us:  that  is,  heaven  and  the  rewards  of  eternity,  heaven  and  the  neces- 
sary means  to  obtain  it;  but  not  the  goods  of  this  world,  such  as 
health,  honors,  riches,  for  God  has  not   promised  these  to  us. 

II.  Is  hope  necessary  for  salvation.?  Yes,  my  brethren;  for  to 
arrive  at  God,  says  St.  Paul,  one  must  first  believe  that  He  exists,  and 
then  that  He  rewards  those  that  seek  Him.  Faith  is  the  first  and 
most  necessary  virtue,  and  the  foundation  of  all  the  others.  But  hope 
must  arise  from  faith  and  cannot  exist  without  it.  Faith  is  the  root 
of  the  tree,  hope  is  the  stem,  and  charity  the   fruit. 

III.  On  what  motives  is  this  great  virtue  founded.?  It  is  founded 
on  the  promise  of  God,  who  cannot  deceive  us,  on  His  almighty 
power,  on  His  infinite  mercy,  and  on  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Can  there  be  a  stronger  foundation  ? 

1st.    On  the  Promise  of  God. —  God  often  repeated  these  promises 

through  the  mouth  of  His  prophets  and  His  own  Son  that  He  would 

give  eternal  life  to  those  who  should  merit  it,  and  also  all  the  graces 

necessary    for   this   end  :    The   Lord  -will  give  grace  and  glory  (Ps. 

(140) 


ON    HOPE 


141 


Lxxxiii.  12):  The  Just  go  into  everlasting- life  {M.diit. 'x.if.v.  ^2).  These 
are  unchangeable  and  infallible  promises;  for  it  is  written  that  heaven 
and'  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  the  word  of  God  shall  not  pass  (Matt. 
XXIV.  35);  and  promises  which  have  been  confirmed  by  an  oath,  as 
St.  Paul  says  (Hebr.  vi.  17),  in  order,  we  might  say,  to  render  them 
more  sacred  and   inviolate. 

2d.  On  His  Almighty  Power. —  God  in  His  infinite  power  com- 
mands and  all  obey.  He  needs  only  to  will  and  everything  is  accom- 
plished. What  can  oppose  His  sovereign  will?  It  is  not  with  God 
as  with  us.  We  often  promise  something  without  being  able  to  keep 
our  word,  because  our  will  is  unsteady  and  changeable,  and  because 
being  weak  and  dependent  creatures,  we  are  often  powerless  to  con- 
trol things  and  to  do   what   we  have   promised. 

3d.  On  His  Injinite  Goodness. — In  God  all  perfections  are  infinite; 
one  cannot  be  greater  than  the  other.  But  if  there  could  be  a  differ- 
ence between  them,  undoubtedly  His  goodness  would  be  greater  than 
all  His  other  attributes.  His  tender  mercies  arc  over  all  His  works 
(Ps.  cxliv).  God  has  created  us,  and  does  a  creator  not  love  the  w^ork 
of  his  hand.?  He  is  our  Father,  the  best  of  all  fathers,  and  is  not  a 
father  fond  of  his  children.?  He  is  our  Redeemer,  and  if  He  dies  for 
us,  must  not  His  charity  and  mercy  towards  us  be  infinite.?  Could 
He  have  given  us  a  greater  proof  of  His  love?  Greater  love  than  this 
no  man  hath,  than  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends  (John 
XV.  13). 

4th.  On  the  JMerits  of  fesus  Christ. —  This  motive  is  still  more 
powerful  than  the  others,  for  here  is  a  question  not  only  of  mercy 
and  of  promises,  but  of  a  right  actually  acquired.  Our  Saviour,  by 
dying  for  us,  has  opened  for  us  the  treasures  of  grace,  and  it  only 
remains  for  us  to  draw  them  ;  He  has  opened  to  us  the  gates  of  heaven, 
and  it  only  remains  for  us  to  enter.  Through  the  merits  of  His  blood 
and  passion.  He  has  paid  our  debts;  He  has  restored  to  us  all  our 
rights  to  the  heavenly  inheritance.  Whatever  may  be  the  rigor  and 
extent  of  divine  justice,  God  cannot  henceforth  refuse  heaven  to  us  as 
long  as  we  place  no  obstacle  in  the  way.  It  was  especially  by  the 
remembrance  of  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ  that  St.  Bernard  animated 
his  hope:  **  I  am  not  worthy,**  he  says,  "of  the  graces  of  my  God;  but 
Jesus  Christ  has  merited  them  for  me,  and  I  can  look  upon  heaven  as 
a  thing  that  belongs  to  me,  through  the  right  which  my  Saviour  has 
given  to  me.** 


142 


SECOND   PART.      I.    INSTRUCTION 


Such  are  the  solid  motives  upon  which  our  hope  is  founded.  What 
more  can  we  desire?  Unless  we  have  no  faith,  which  God  forbid, 
could  we  refuse  to  put  all  our  confidence  in  Him? 

IV.  What  are  the  qualities  which  our  hope  must  have?  It 
should  have  the  three  following:  It  must  be  firm;  it  must  be  accom- 
panied with  a  mistrust  of  ourselves,  and  it  must  be  joined  to  good 
works. 

1st.  It  must  hejirm,  firm  as  the  anchor  thrown  into  the  depth  of  the 
sea,  according  to  the  expression  of  St.  Paul:  Which  ive  have  as  an 
anchor  of  the  soul,  sure  and  jirm  (Hebr.  vi.  19).  And  nothing  in  the 
world,  not  poverty,  not  illness,  not  temptations,  not  persecutions,  not 
trials  of  any  kind,  ought  to  be  able  to  shake  our  hope.  /  knoiv,  says 
the  apostle,  "uohom  I  have  believed,  and  I  am  certain  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  that  "which  I  have  committed  unto  Him  against  that  day  (II.  Tim. 
I.  12).  Ye  sinners  that  listen  to  me,  whatever  may  be  the  number 
and  greatness  of  your  sins,  whatever  may  be  the  violence  of  your  pas- 
sions, do  not  be  discouraged;  for  God  will  never  permit  you  to  be 
tempted  above  your  strength,  and  His  mercy  is  greater  than  your 
wickedness.  You  souls  that  are  afflicted,  desolate,  persecuted,  and 
oppressed  with  reverses  of  fortune,  ever  hope  in  your  Heavenly  Father 
because  if  He  afflicts  you  in  this  world,  it  is  only  to  reward  you  the 
more  in  the  other. 

2d.  Though  our  hope  must  be  firm,  it  ought  also  to  be  mingled  with 
a  mistrust  of  ourselves.  Though  we  can  hope  everything  from  God's 
goodness,  we  should  be  fearful  of  ourselves,  on  account  of  our  incon- 
stancy and  weakness.  Without  this  salutary  fear,  hope  would  be  a 
mere  presumption.  This  is  why  the  Holy  Ghost  recommends  us  to 
'Work  out  our  salvation  in  fear  and  trembling  (Phil.  11.  12)  ;  and,  when 
we  stand,  to  take  heed  lest  vje  fall  (I.  Cor.  x.  12).  For,  alas!  human 
frailty  is  so  great,  and  the  enemies  that  surround  us  are  ever  plotting 
our  ruin.  Full  confidence  in  God,  but  great  distrust  of  ourselves, 
such  is  the  essential  character  of  hope. 

3d.  Finally,  our  hope  must  be  accompanied  by  good  works.  God, 
who  has  created  us  without  our  cooperation,  says  St.  Augustine,  will 
not  save  us  without  our  cooperation.  Read  the  Gospel  and  you  will 
find  what  God  requires  of  us  to  merit  heaven  ;  you  will  see  that  the 
way  to  heaven  is  rough  and  the  gate  is  narrow  ;  you  will  find  the 
commandments  we  have  to  observe,  the  virtues  we  have  to  practice, 
the  sacrifices  we  have  to  make.     Oh!   how  blind  and  insensible  are 


ON  HOPE 


143 


those  who  hope  to  enter  heaven  without  imposing  upon  themselves 
the  least  constraint  and  inconvenience!  No,  my  brethren,  it  is  with 
hope  as  with  faith;  without  good  works  it  is  vain,  it  is  sterile  and 
deceptive,  and  it  serves  only  to  render  us  more  guilty,  on  account  of 
the  abuse  we  make  of  grace. 

V.  May  your  hope  be  clothed  with  this  threefold  quality  we  have 
just  explained,  and  then  it  will  produce  in  you  the  most  salutary 
effects.  It  will  console  you  in  your  pains,  it  will  sustain  you  in  temp- 
tations, it  will  assist  you  to  detach  yourselves  from  the  things  of  this 
life,  and  will  constantly  encourage  you  in  the  service  of  God  and  in 
practice  of  all  Christian  virtues.  Let  us  say  a  few  words  on  the 
advantages  of  hope. 

I  St.  Hope  Consqles  Us  in  Our  Sufferings. — The  trials  which  God 
sends  us  in  this  world  are  often  great.  .  .  .  But  if  you  have  hope 
you  will  not  be  downcast,  because  you  will  remember  that  if  you  ac- 
cept these  afflictions  with  a  humble  submission  you  will  merit  a  great 
reward,  and  as  many  acts  of  patience  as  you  will  make  in  the  midst 
of  your  tribulations  so  many  pearls  will  you  add  to  your  heavenly 
crown.  St.  Paul,  in  his  sufferings,  said:  /  suffer.,  but  I  am  not 
ashamed  (II.  Tim.  i.  12).  Consider  the  holy  man  Job  in  the  midst  of 
his  trials.  What  was  it  that  consoled  him?  It  was  the  hope  of  a 
future  life.  I  knoTV  that  tny  Redeemer  liveth  (Job  xix.  25).  Not  only 
does  hope  aid  us  in  bearing  the  crosses  and  afflictions  of  life,  but  it 
makes  us  find  sweetness  and  joy  in  them,  because  of  the  resemblance 
they  give  us  to  Jesus  Christ  crucified,  and  of  the  increase  of  glory 
they  merit  for  us.  One  day  St.  Francis  of  Assisi  was  asked  how  he 
could  support  his  pains  with  so  much  cheerfulness,  and  he  answered  : 
**  Because  the  reward  which  I  expect  is  so  great  that  all  these  pains 
and  crosses  appear  a  pleasure  to  me.** 

2d.  Hope  Sustains  Us  in  Temptations. —  God  is  my  light  and  my 
salvation,  said  the  royal  prophet.  He  is  the  protector  of  my  life:  of 
whom  shall  I  be  afraid?  (Ps.  xxvi.  i.)  Let  the  passions,  let  the  devil, 
let  hell  unchain  itself  against  you.  The  thought  of  heaven  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  gain  the  victory.  Remember  thy  last  end,  and  thou  shall  never 
sin  (Eccl.  VII.  40).  In  trouble  and  agitation  remember  eternity;  ask 
yourselves  whether  for  a  moment  of  pleasure  you  should  expose 
yourselves  to  lose  heaven  and  to  deserve  hell,  and  this  sole  considera- 
tion will  quench  the  fire  that  is  burning  within  you,  and  j'ou  will 
come  forth  triumphant  from  the  most  violent  combats. 


144 


SECOND    PART.       11.    INSTRUCTION 


3d.  Hope  Detaches  Us  from  the  Present  Life. — What  attachment 
can  we  have  for  a  life  which  lasts  for  so  short  a  time  and  in  which  we 
are  exposed  to  so  many  miseries?  Does  the  prisoner  love  his  dungeon 
or  the  pilot  love  the  stormy  sea  in  which  he  has  nearly  been  ship- 
wrecked? Unhappy  that  J  am ^  says  St.  Paul,  who  will  deliver  me 
from  the  body  of  this  death?  (Rom.  vii.  24.)  Oh,  cried  out  David, 
when  shall  I  appear  before  the  face  of  God?  As  the  heart  panteth 
after  the  fountain  of  water,  so  doth  ?ny  soul  pant  after  thee.  Oh,  God! 
(Ps.  xLi.)  These  are  the  sentiments  with  which  we  ought  to  be  pene- 
trated when  w^e  are  filled  with  hope. 

4th.  Finally,  Hope  Reanimates  and  Encourages  Us  in  the  Love  and 
Service  of  God*.  If  the  hope  of  a  temporal  and  uncertain  gain  inspires 
merchants  with  such  zeal  and  constancy  in  the  fatigue  and  embarrass- 
ments of  their  commerce,  if  the  hope  of  worldly  glory  can  encourage 
soldiers  in  the  dangers  of  war,  what  zeal  and  courage  should  we  not 
exhibit  for  the  immortal  crown !  O,  sweet  and  amiable  hope,  what 
are  all  the  sacrifices  thou  askest  of  us  in  comparison  with  the  ineffable 
goods  thou  hast  promised !  Ah !  I  understand  the  courage  that  en- 
abled the  martyrs  to  defy  torments,  and  the  anchorites  to  bury  them- 
selves alive,  so  to  say,  in  tlie  wilds  of  the  deserts,  and  which  still 
moves  so  many  missionaries  to  stifle  the  voice  of  flesh  and  blood  and 
to  brave  all  kinds  of  privations  and  fatigues,  to  spread  the  Gospel. 

O,  holy  and  strong  virtue  of  hope,  mayest  thou  always  dwell  in  our 
souls!  Mayest  thou,  together  with  faith  and  charity,  thy  inseparable 
companions,  be  always  the  motive  of  our  thoughts,  words,  and  actions; 
and  mayest  thou  animate  our  sentiments  during  life,  our  last  sigh  at 
death,  and  mayest  thou  open  for  us  the  gates  of  eternal  happiness ! 
Amen. 


II.  INSTRUCTION 
On  Prayer 

I.  Prayer  is  an  elevation  of  the  soul  to  God,  by  which  we  render 
Him  the  homage  that  is  due  to  Him  and  ask  Him   for  what  we  need. 

Prayer  is  an  elevation  of  the  soul  to  God,  because  when  you  pray 
you  must  forget  the  things  of  this  world,  your  affairs,  your  goods,  and 


ON  PRAYER  I^t 

your  pleasures,  and  raise  your  minds  and  hearts  to  God,  and  occupy 
yourselves  only  with  Him  and  with  your  salvation.  In  prayer  -we 
render  to  God  our  homage  and  ask  Him  for  the  graces  of  'which  tve 
stand  in  need.  Indeed,  prayer  has  a  double  object:  ist.  To  offer  to 
God  the  homage  of  respect,  love,  and  gratitude  we  owe  to  Him ;  and 
2d.  To  tell  Him  our  needs  and  to  solicit  whatever  is  necessary  for 
us,  either  for  soul  or  body,  for  this  life  or  the  life  to  come. 

II.  There  are  two  kinds  of  prayers:  mental  and  vocal.  Mental 
prayer  is  the  prayer  of  the  heart,  and  vocal  prayer  is  the  prayer  of  the 
lips  and  heart  together.  In  mental  prayer  our  soul  alone  entertains 
itself  with  God  without  words,  and  in  vocal  prayer  we  express  by 
word  of  mouth  the  thoughts  and  sentiments  with  which  our  soul  is 
penetrated.  Mental  prayer,  also  called  meditation.,  may  be  very 
agreeable  to  God  without  the  help  of  vocal  prayer,  because  God  who 
searches  the  hearts  and  reins  (Ps.vii.  lo)  has  no  need  of  an  exterior 
manifestation  to  know  its  affections ;  but  vocal  prayer,  when  it  is  not 
from  the  heart,  is  no  prayer  at  all.  It  is  an  act  of  hypocrisy.  Mental 
prayer  cannot  be  too  warmly  recommended.  It  is  through  mental 
prayer  that  we  learn  to  know  God  and  to  know  ourselves;  but  we 
must  not  neglect  vocal  prayer,  because  our  body,  as  well  as  our  soul, 
is  obliged  to  pray,  and  the  edification  of  others  often  requires  vocal 
prayer. 

There  are  also  ejaculatory  prayers,  short  but  effective  aspirations 
of  the  mind  and  heart  to  God.  Such  are :  Aly  God,  I  love  Thee.  My 
God.,  have  pity  on  me.  May  God'' s  will  be  done.,  and  other  similar 
ejaculations.  This  manner  of  praying  was  in  great  use  among  the 
ancient  hermits  of  Egypt,  and  all  the  masters  of  spiritual  life  advise 
us  to  practice  it  often,  especially  if  our  occupations  do  not  allow  of 
long  prayers.  We  read  in  the  life  of  St.  Francis  of  Assisi  that  for 
weeks  he  said  no  other  prayer  but  the  beautiful  words  :  My  God  and 
my  all. 

III.  Is  prayer  necessary  for  salvation  ?  Yes,  prayer  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  salvation.  Three  principal  reasons  impose  upon  us  the 
rigorous  duty  of  prayer:  ist.  The  honor  which  we  owe  to  God;  2d. 
The  need  which  we  have  of  grace,  and  3d.  The  formal  command  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

1st.  The  Honor  which  We  Owe  to  God. —  God  is  our  Creator,  our 
Father,  sovereign  Lord  and  Master.  Both  faith  and  reason  teach  us 
that  He  created  man  only  for  His  glory,  and  in  order  to  have  adorers 


146 


SECOND   PART.      II.   INSTRUCTION 


in  spirit  and  truth.  It  is  therefore  the  duty  of  every  rational  crea- 
ture to  render  homage  to  God  and  to  express  to  Him  his  respect,  love, 
and  gratitude.  This  duty  we  fulfill  through  prayer.  Hence,  it  is  an 
impiety,  and  a  very  criminal  impiety,  not  to  fulfill  this  duty,  espe- 
cially when  one  neglects  prayer  through  affectation,  indifference,  or 
bad  will.  Those  men  also  act  criminally  in  the  eyes  of  God  who 
never  pray  or  who  pray  without  attention.  They  are  worse  than 
pagans,  who  at  least  adore  their  idols  and  invoke  them  and  offer 
sacrifices  to  them. 

2d.  The  Need  which  We  Have  of  Grace. —  It  is  an  article  of  faith, 
that  without  grace  we  can  do  nothing  for  our  salvation  :  Without  me 
you  can  do  nothing'  (John  xv.  5).  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  certain  that 
prayer  is  absolutely  necessary  to  obtain  grace.  Undoubtedly,  God 
grants  certain  graces  without  our  asking  for  them,  such  as  vocation  to 
the  faith,  as  St.  Augustine  teaches  us;  for  we  cannot  ask  Him  for 
something  of  which  we  do  not  know.  But  it  is  not  the  same,  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  Providence,  with  the  other  graces  necessary  to  do 
good  and  avoid  evil.  If  we  desire  to  obtain  them,  we  must  ask  for 
them.  It  was  this  that  our  divine  Saviour  taught  us,  when  He  said 
that  if  ive  seek  we  shall  fiftd,  if  we  ask  it  shall  be  given  to  us,  and 
if  we  knock  it  shall  be  opened  to  us  (Luke  xi.  9).  Undoubtedly,  God 
knows  our  wants  before  we  make  them  known  to  Him  ;  but  He  has  a 
right  to  require  us  to  ask  Him  for  His  help.  It  is  His  will  that  we 
should  make  known  to  Him  our  pains  and  miseries,  just  as  beggars 
show  their  poverty  and  nakedness  when  asking  for  alms ;  and  often  it 
is  only  under  this  condition  that  God  deigns  to  grant  us  what  we 
need. 

3d.  The  Precept  of  Prayer  Given  Us  by  Our  Saviour. — Nothing 
is  more  formal  in  holy  Scripture:  Watch  and  pray  (Mark  xiii.  33). 
We  must  always  pray  (Luke  xviii.  i).  And  St.  Paul:  Pray  night 
and  day  (I.  Thess.  11.  10).  Pray  without  ceasing  (I.  Thess.  v.  17), 
etc.  There  is  no  question  here  of  a  mere  counsel,  but  of  a  rigorous 
precept.  We  must  .  .  .  It  is  a  real  and  indispensable  duty  which 
our  divine  Master  wished  to  impose  upon  us,  just  as  much  as  it  is  a 
duty  to  love  God  and  to  render  justice  to  our  fellow-men.  The  pre- 
cept of  prayer  applies  to  everybody,  to  rich  and  to  poor,  to  the  learned 
and  to  the  ignorant,  to  sinners,  and  to  holy  men.  In  order  to  impress 
upon  us  the  necessity  of  prayer,  our  divine  Saviour  gave  us  the  exam- 
ple in  a  most  admirable  manner ;  for  although  He  was  not  obliged  at 


ON   PRAYER  i^y 

all  to  pray  for  Himself,  He  passed  entire  nights  in  prayer:  And  he 
passed  the  whole  night  in  the  prayer  of  God  (Luke  vi.  12), 

Prayer  is,  therefore,  an  absolute  necessity.  It  is  to  our  soul,  says 
St.  John  Chrysostom,  what  the  nerves  are  to  the  body.  As  the  body 
is  without  strength  and  life  as  soon  as  the  nerves  are  destroyed,  so, 
also,  our  soul  cannot  live  the  life  of  grace  without  prayer.  "  Prayer 
is  to  the  soul,*^  says  the  same  holy  doctor,  **  what  the  bulwarks  are  to 
a  city,  what  weapons  are  to  the  soldier  in  battle.*^  A  city  without  bul- 
warks or  soldiers  without  weapons  cannot  long  withstand  the  enemy. 
So,  also,  without  prayer  we  are  powerless  in  the  face  of  the  enemies  of 
our  salvation. 

IV.  When  should  we  pray?  We  must  pray  in  the  morning  on 
rising  and  in  the  evening  on  going  to  bed.  As  soon  as  you  awake, 
offer  to  God  your  heart  and  all  the  actions  of  the  day.  As  soon  as 
you  are  dressed  kneel  down  and  say  your  morning  prayer.  This  is 
not  a  simple  practice  of  piety  but  a  real  duty  of  conscience ;  we  must 
consecrate  to  the  Lord  the  first  fruits  of  the  day.  To  allege  lack  of 
time  is  an  idle  excuse  and  hardly  worth  answering.  Have  you  not 
time  for  worldly  amusements  and  pleasures.?  Can  you  not  set  aside 
some  moments  for  prayer?  Pray  in  the  evening  before  going  to  bed. 
Kneel  down  and  thank  God  for  the  graces  and  ask  pardon  for  the  sins 
of  the  day.  Evening  prayer  answers  to  the  sacrifice  that  used  to  be 
offered  to  God  at  the  end  of  the  day,  just  as  morning  prayer  answers 
to  the  morning  sacrifice  of  old.  Both  morning  and  evening  prayer 
are  excellent  Christian  practices  to  which  faithful  souls  are  inviolably 
attached.  I  would  recommend  to  you  the  pious  custom  of  reciting 
them  together  in  the  family.  This  union  in  prayer  offers  a  holy  vio- 
lence to  heaven  and  infallibly  draws  down  God's  graces  upon  the 
family,  according  to  the  promise  of  Jesus  Christ :  Where  there  are 
two  or  three  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them 
(Matt.  XVIII.  20). 

We  should  also  pray  often  during  the  day  :  at  the  beginning  of  our 
principal  actions,  to  offer  them  to  God  ;  before  and  after  meals ;  in 
reciting  the  Angelas  morning,  noon,  and  evening;  in  temptation, 
danger,  illness,  and  affliction  ;  and  at  the  hour  of  death,  to  beseech 
God  to  receive  us  into  the  bosom  of  His  mercy. 

In  a  word,  we  must  pray  always  and  never  cease  to  pray ;  but 
in  what  manner?  In  performing  for  God  and  in  a  spirit  of  penance 
all  our  daily  actions,  for  even  our  most  common  actions  become  a 


T^g  SECOND  PART.      II.   INSTRUCTION 

continual  prayer,  if  we  do  them  with  this  intention.  How,  again? 
By  living  continually  in  God's  love  and  grace,  and  having  no  other 
desire  than  to  please  Him  and  to  do  His  will  in  all  things. 

V.  Lastly,  what  should  we  ask  of  God?  We  should  ask  Him, 
first,  for  spiritual  goods,  that  is,  the  goods  of  grace  for  a  happy  eter- 
nity, because  these  are  the  principal  objects  of  prayer.  But  we  may 
also  ask  Him  for  temporal  goods,  such  as  health,  good  crops,  cessation 
of  a  plague,  success  in  our  affairs,  and  other  temporal  favors.  For,  al- 
though God  has  not  promised  us  temporal  goods,  still,  like  a  kind  and 
indulgent  father.  He  is  often  pleased  to  grant  them  to  us,  provided  we 
put  no  obstacle  in  the  way  of  His  gifts  by  our  evil  dispositions.  But 
w^e  must  ask  for  temporal  favors  with  an  entire  resignation  to  God's 
holy  will  and  for  a  good  purpose,  for  it  is  certain  that  if  we  should 
ask  for  health  or  wealth  only  to  make  a  bad  use  of  them,  God  who 
reads  our  hearts,  who  knows  our  most  secret  intentions,  would  not 
hear  our  prayer. 

If,  after  good  and  fervent  prayers,  you  do  not  obtain  what  you 
desire,  you  must  not  murmur  against  Providence.  God  always  has 
His  designs  in  the  goods  He  refuses  to  us,  and  when  He  permits  us  to 
be  afflicted  either  through  sickness,  or  losses,  or  other  adversities.  He 
does  it  only  for  the  good  of  our  soul ;  either  to  punish  us  for  crimes, 
or  to  detach  us  from  this  world,  or  finally  to  make  us  acquire  more 
abundant  merits  for  heaven. 

V.  Have  you  been  faithful  until  the  present,  my  brethren,  to  the 
indispensable  duty  of  prayer  ?  Are  there  not  some  among  you  whose 
conscience  reproaches  them  ?  How  many  are  there  who  never  or  very 
seldom  pray,  or  who  pray  so  badly  that  their  prayers  are  rather  sins 
than  acts  of  virtue!  O  you,  lukewarm  and  indifferent  souls  that 
listen  to  me,  you  hardened  sinners  who  never  pray,  beware!  For  if 
you  continue  to  refuse  God  the  homage  of  respect,  love,  and  gratitude 
vv^hich  you  owe  Him,  you  are  guilty  of  great  impiety  and  of  shameful 
ingratitude;  and  if  you  do  not  ask  God  for  the  graces  you  stand  in 
need  of,  you  will  surely  not  obtain  them;  your  passions  and  the  devil 
will  have  full  power  over  you,  and  your  ruin  will  be  inevitable.  Yes, 
without  prayer  salvation  is  impossible.  This  is  a  truth  upon  which  I 
cannot  insist  too  much,  because  it  appears  not  to  be  sufficiently  un- 
derstood, and  because  it  is  so  easily  forgotten. 

Pray,  therefore,  whoever  you  may  be,  holy  men  or  sinners,  but 
you  especially,  sinners,  pray  and  do  not  cease  to  pray.     Pray  in  the 


ON   PRAYER  j^p 

morning,  pray  in  the  evening,  and  let  no  pretext  hinder  you  from 
doing  so.  The  prophet  David  prayed  seven  times  a  day.  Daniel, 
when  a  captive  at  Babylon,  although  the  king  had  forbidden  him 
under  pain  of  death  to  pray  publicly,  continued  to  pray  three  times  a 
day,  opening  the  windows  looking  towards  Jerusalem,  until  he  was 
condemned  to  be  thrown  into  the  lions'  den. 

The  saints  always  made  prayer  their  principal  occupation.  Follow 
their  example,  pray  for  yourselves,  and  then  pray  for  your  families; 
pray  for  the  conversion  of  sinners,  pray  for  the  souls  in  purgatory, 
for  your  benefactors  and  for  the  Church.  If  you  pray  as  you  ought 
to,  God  will  hear  your  prayers,  He  will  overwhelm  you  with  the 
gifts  you  ask  for  others,  and  He  will  grant  to  you  finally  the  re- 
ward which  He  has  promised  to  His  faithful.     Amen. 


HI.     INSTRUCTION 
On   Prayer    (  Confd) 

In  the  previous  instruction  I  made  you  acquainted  with  the  nature 
of  prayer  and  its  different  species,  and  I  proved  the  indispensable 
necessity  of  prayer,  on  account  of  the  honor  we  owe  to  God,  the  need 
which  we  have  of  grace,  and  the  formal  precept  which  Jesus  Christ 
has  given  us.  But  how  must  we  pray.?  This  will  be  the  subject  of 
the  instruction  of  to-day.  If  our  prayers  are  so  often  without  effect, 
it  is  because  we  do  not  pray  well,  and  because  they  are  not  accom- 
panied with  the  necessary  dispositions,  for  our  Lord  has  given  us  His 
word  that  He  will  hear  us,  and  He  has  promised  to  grant  us  every- 
thing what  we  ask  His  Father  in  His  name.  The  apostle  St.  James 
says  :  Tou  ask  and  receive  not,  because  you  ask  amiss  (James  iv.  3). 
What  are,  therefore,  the  dispositions  with  which  we  must  pray?  They 
are  six  in  number  :  A  good  preparation,  humility,  attention,  devotion, 
confidence,  and  perseverance. 

I  St.  We  must  prepare  for  prayer.  The  Holy  Ghost  recommends 
to  us  to  collect  our  mind  and  to  turn  to  God  before  commencing  to 
pray:    Before  prayer  prepare  thy  soul  (Eccl.  xviii.   23).     Indeed, 


15° 


SECOND   PART.       III.    INSTRUCTION 


how  can  one  expect  to  make  his  prayer  well,  if  he  commences  it  with 
a  mind  agitated  by  the  affairs  and  pleasures  of  this  world  and  a 
heart  troubled  by  passions?  Hence,  before  prayer  we  should  collect 
ourselves  for  a  few  moments,  invoke  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
be  penetrated  with  the  presence  of  God,  and  resolved  to  avoid  all  dis- 
tractions. 

2d.  We  must  pray  with  hu?nility.  The  prayer  of  him  that  hutn- 
bleth  himself  shall  pierce  the  clouds  (Eccl.  xxxv.  21),  God  resisteth 
the  proud  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble  (James  iv.  6).  Humility  in 
prayer  must  be  interior  and  exterior.  What  are  we  before  God  but 
miserable  sinners  unworthy  of  pardon,  poor  worms  of  the  earth?  If 
we  had  to  appear  before  a  prince  of  this  world  to  ask  him  for  some 
favor,  with  what  respect  would  we  appear  before  him?  This  interior 
humility,  my  brethren,  must  manifest  itself  exteriorly  by  a  respectful 
attitude  of  the  body,  and  by  a  modest  deportment.  In  the  first  place, 
we  should  be  kneeling,  for  however  much  we  may  humble  ourselves 
we  can  never  humble  ourselves  too  much  in  the  face  of  the  supreme 
Majesty.  The  saints  always  prayed  on  their  knees.  Daniel  prayed 
with  his  "  face  to  the  earth. '^  David  calls  upon  us  to  "  prostrate  our- 
selves before  the  Lord.^^  St.  Paul  tells  us  that  he  prayed  by  bowing 
his  knee:  /  hoiv  my  knee  (Ephes.  iii.  14).  And  you  know  in  what 
manner  our  Lord  prayed  in  the  Garden  of  Olives,  and  the  publican  in 
the  temple.  We  should  pray  with  our  eyes  cast  down  and  the  hands 
joined.  The  thought  of  our  baseness,  the  remembrance  of  our  sins, 
suggests  this  humble  behavior,  and  it  is  also  the  ordinary  attitude  of 
all  pious  and  fervent  persons.  Oh,  you  Christians,  full  of  lukewarm- 
ness  and  indifference,  who  are  more  sitting  than  kneeling,  or  who  are 
half  reclining  in  your  seats,  with  your  eyes  wandering  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  hardly  folding  your  hands,  how  can  you  dare  to  pray  thus 
to  a  God  that  sees  you?  Far  from  expecting  His  favor,  you  ought 
rather  to  be  afraid  of  His  wrath.  But  this  pious  attitude  of  body  is  to 
be  understood  only  of  the  prayers  of  obligation,  for  when  we  have 
rendered  to  God  the  homage  to  which  He  has  a  right,  and  when  we 
have  paid  to  Him  the  tribute  we  owe  to  Him,  we  may,  of  course,  pray 
sitting  or  standing,  while  laboring  or  traveling,  while  dressing  in  the 
morning,  or  in  the  evening  when  lying  down;  because  these  prayers, 
if  otherwise  well  made,  cannot  be  anything  but  good  and  meritorious. 

3d.  We  must  pray  with  attention.  Prayer  is  an  elevation  of  our 
soul  to  God.     But  how  can  our  soul  elevate  itself  to  God  if  the  mind 


ON  PRAYER  igi 

is  occupied  only  with  distracting  thoughts,  with  the  affairs  and  pleas- 
ures of  the  world  ?  It  is  the  want  of  attention  that  renders  so  many- 
prayers  useless.  **  How  can  God  hear  you,**  says  St.  John  Chrysos- 
tom,  "if  you  do  not  hear  yourselves?  How  could  He  listen  to  a 
prayer  in  which  you  do  not  know  what  you  are  saying  or  doing?* 
Undoubtedly,  it  is  not  easy  to  keep  free  from  all  distractions;  and  we 
know  the  greatest  saints  were  subject  to  them.  But  they  must  not  be 
voluntary;  you  must  reject  them  as  soon  as  you  notice  them,  you  must 
not  give  occasion  to  them  by  keeping  your  eyes  open  to  every  thing 
about  you,  or  by  praying  in  places  where  you  are  too  much  exposed 
to  dissipation.  You  must,  on  the  contrary,  retire  to  a  secluded  place  : 
When  thou  shall  fray  enler  inlo  thy  chamber  (Matt.  vi.  6).  You 
must  guard  against  distractions  beforehand  by  driving  away  from 
your  mind  all  earthly  preoccupation  and  by  a  firm  and  sincere  resolu- 
tion to  pray  well.  If  you  take  these  precautions,  your  distractions 
will  not  be  culpable  and  your  prayer  will  be  agreeable  to  God.  But 
if  you  do  not  banish  distractions;  if  you  do  not  wish  to  impose  upon 
yourselves  the  least  inconvenience;  if  you  content  yourselves  to  pray 
with  your  lips,  whilst  your  mind  is  occupied  with  other  things,  not 
only  is  your  prayer  worthless,  but,  on  the  contrary,  you  offend  God  and 
draw  upon  yourselves  rather  His  wrath  than  His  graces  and  favors. 

4th.  To  the  attention  we  must  add  devotion;  that  is,  the  love  of 
God  and  the  ardent  desire  to  obtain  what  we  ask.  Is  prayer  only  an 
empty  sounding  of  words  on  the  lips?  No,  it  is  a  sentiment  of  the 
heart,  a  cry  of  the  soul  inspired  by  an  ardent  love.  If  you  desire  God 
to  listen  to  you  and  hear  your  prayers,  speak  to  Him  in  the  affection- 
ate and  burning  language  of  love.  Just  as  incense  rises  into  the  air 
and  spreads  a  sweet  odor  only  when  it  is  spread  upon  burning  coals, 
so  prayer  cannot  ascend  into  heaven  except  it  is  inflamed  with  the  fire 
of  love.  O  you  lukewarm  souls,  souls  obstinate  in  sin,  do  you  pray 
with  these  sentiments?  Perhaps  you  do  not  even  know  what  you 
ask  for  in  your  prayers,  and  would,  perhaps,  be  surprised  and  dissatis- 
fied if  God  were  to  give  you  what  you  ask  for;  for  example,  the  grace 
to  correct  yourselves  of  your  evil  habits,  the  grace  to  reconcile  your- 
selves with  your  enemy,  the  grace  to  make  restitution,  or  the  grace  of 
conversion.  Your  prayers  are  not  prayers;  they  are  only  acts  of 
hypocrisy  and  impiety. 

5th.  We  must  pray  with  confidence.  To  pray  with  confidence  is 
to  pray  with  a  firm  assurance  that  God  will  hear  us.      Such  should  be 


1^2  SECOND   PART.      III.   INSTRUCTION 

the  disposition  of  our  soul.  Why?  Because  God  is  a  father  full  of 
tenderness  and  goodness,  eagerly  desirous  of  our  salvation,  and,  more- 
over, He  has  promised  to  grant  us  all  what  we  ask  of  Him.  Ask  and 
you  shall  receive  (John  xvi.  24).  Whatsoever  you  shall  ask  the 
Father  in  my  name,  that  will  I  do  (John  xvi.  13).  In  the  lives  of 
the  saints  we  see  striking  proofs  of  God's  mercy  and  love,  and  of  the 
faithful  fulfillment  of  His  promise.  Josue  prays,  and  God  stops  the 
sun  in  its  course ;  Moses  prays,  and  God  opens  a  passage  in  the  Red 
Sea  ;  Elias  prays,  and  fire  descends  from  heaven  ;  the  Ninivites  pray, 
and  they  are  spared.  The  apostles,  the  martyrs,  the  confessors,  the 
virgins  pray,  and  they  raise  the  dead  to  life,  heal  the  sick,  and  work 
the  most  astonishing  miracles ;  they  face  the  rage  of  tyrants  and  un- 
dergo with  courage  and  serenity  the  most  cruel  death ;  they  openly 
profess  their  faith  and  preserve  themselves  pure  in  the  midst  of  the 
temptations  of  the  world  and  the  snares  of  hell.  Ah !  if  we  would 
but  know  to  pray  in  this  manner,  how  many  graces  would  we  obtain 
which  we  now  lose  by  want  of  confidence ! 

6th.  We  must  pray  with  perseverance.  We  ought  always  to 
pray  and  not  to  faint  (Luke  xviii.  i).  God  who  is  pleased  to  try  our 
constancy,  loves  to  be  solicited,  pressed,  and  importuned,  if  I  may  so 
speak.  Although  He  appears  sometimes  to  be  deaf  to  our  prayers,  we 
may  be  sure  that  He  hears  them,  and  a  time  will  come  when  we  shall 
obtain  what  we  asked  for.  Our  Saviour  Himself  assures  us  of  this 
when  He  says  :  Which  of  you  shall  have  a  friend,  and  shall  go  to  him. 
at  midnight ,  and  shall  say  to  him  :  Friend,  lend  me  three  loaves,  be- 
cause a  friend  is  come  off  his  journey  to  me,  and  I  have  not  what  to  set 
before  him.  And  he  from  within  should  answer,  and  say:  IVouble 
me  not,  the  door  is  now  shut,  and  my  children  are  with  me  in  bed.  I 
cannot  rise  and  give  thee.  Yet  if  he  shall  continue  knocking,  I  say  to 
you,  although  he  will  not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he  is  his  friend, 
yet,  because  of  his  importunity ,  he  will  rise  and  give  him  as  many  as 
he  needeth.  And  I  say  to  you:  Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  you  (Luke 
XI.  5-9).     How  consoling  are  these  words! 

Remember  the  parable  of  the  Chanaanite  woman.  Although  a 
stranger  and  of  a  cursed  race,  she  asked  our  Lord  to  heal  her  daugh- 
ter who  was  cruelly  tormented  by  the  devil.  At  first,  Christ  did  not 
even  deign  to  answer  her.  Then  His  disciples  said  to  Him  :  Lord, 
send  her  away,  for  she  crieth  after  us.  And  our  Lord,  affecting  a 
severity,  said  :  I  was  not  sent  but  to  the  sheep  that  are  lost  of  the  house 


ON  THE   LORD'S  PRAYER  15 ^ 

of  Israel.  The  Chanaanite  woman  insists,  and  prostrates  herself  at 
His  feet.  No,  said  the  Saviour,  //  is  not  good  to  take  the  bread  of  the 
children,  and  to  cast  it  to  the  dogs.  The  woman  is  far  from  becoming^ 
discouraged :  Tes,  Lord,  she  says,  for  the  ivhelps  also  eat  of  the 
crumbs  that  fall  from  the  table  of  their  masters.  O  ivoman,  cried 
out  the  Saviour,  great  is  thy  faith;  be  it  done  to  thee  as  thou  ■wilt 
(Matt.  XV.  23—28).     And  her  daughter  was  healed  the  same  moment. 

This  is  an  admirable  example  of  perseverance  in  prayer.  God 
loves  to  try  our  faith  and  confidence,  and  ends  by  permitting  Himself 
to  be  touched,  and  by  granting  to  us  all  we  ask.  Therefore,  let  us  be 
firm  and  constant  in  our  prayers,  for  the  moment  we  cease  to  pray 
might  perhaps  be  the  moment  of  grace. 

Have  you  brought  to  prayer  all  the  dispositions  I  have  just  enu- 
merated.? How  many  prayers  are  made  with  willful  distractions,  luke- 
warmness,  and  indifference,  and  rather  through  routine  and  custom 
than  with  a  spirit  of  devotion  and  with  that  sentiment  of  obstinate 
confidence  which  does  a  holy  violence  to  God !  Let  us  humbly  ask 
pardon  of  God,  and  let  us  take  the  firm  and  sincere  resolution  to  say 
our  prayers  with  all  the  care,  all  the  attention,  fervor,  and  love  we 
are  capable  of. 

In  the  last  instruction  we  said  that  prayer  is  a  duty,  and  such  an 
indispensable  duty  that  we  cannot  be  saved  without  it.  Can  we  ful- 
fill this  duty  and  obtain  the  graces  of  which  we  stand  in  need,  if  our 
prayer  is  not  made  in  the  right  way?  Therefore,  let  us  pray  with 
recollection  and  attention,  with  the  sentiments  of  a  lively  piety  and 
an  humble  and  ardent  confidence  which  never  wearies.     Amen. 


IV.  INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Lord's  Prayer 

I.  As  OUR  divine  Saviour  often  recommended  prayer  to  His  disci- 
ples, both  by  precept  and  example,  His  disciples  said  to  Him  one  day  : 
Lord,  teach  us  to  pray  (Luke  xi.  i).  Our  Saviour  answered  :  When 
you  fray,  say:    Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven.     .     .     .     This  prayer 


1^4  SECOND   PART.       IV.    INSTRUCTION 

is  called  the  Lord's  Prayer,  because  our  Saviour  Himself  taught  it 
to  us.  Of  all  the  prayers  that  are  recited  in  the  Church,  there  can  be 
none  more  beautiful  and  more  excellent.  Why?  Because  it  has  a  God 
for  author,  and,  short  though  it  is,  it  contains  in  abridgment  all  that 
we  have  to  ask  of  God,  as  the  Apostles'  Creed  contains  all  that  we 
must  believe,  and  the  Decalogue  all  that  we  must  practice. 

The  Lord's  Prayer  is  composed  of  a  preface,  seven  petitions,  and  a 
conclusion .  The  preface  consists  of  the  words  :  Our  Father  who  art 
in  heaven^  then  follow  the  seven  petitions,  of  which  the  first  three 
have  for  their  object  our  duties  towards  God,  and  the  last  four  our 
own  needs. 

The  conclusion  consists  of  the  word  Amen,  which  means  ^*  So  be 
it.'*  Since  the  Lord's  Prayer  is  such  an  important  prayer,  and  one 
which  everybody  ought  to  know  and  understand,  I  shall  explain  it  in 
detail. 

II.  Our  leather  who  art  in  heaven.  Our  Father!  What  a  sweet 
and  tender  name !  It  is  the  first  word  we  learned  in  our  infancy,  and 
it  is  the  first  cry  of  a  child  when  in  danger  or  in  need.  Our  Lord 
could  have  taught  us  to  say  :  *^  O  Thou,  who  art  our  God,  our  sover- 
eign master  and  who  will  be  one  day  our  judge.'*  But  He  wished  to 
inspire  us  with  the  most  tender  confidence,  because  He  knew  well  that 
confidence  is  the  soul  of  prayer.  Hence,  the  first  words  He  puts  upon 
our  lips  are  :    Our  Father. 

God  is  our  Father:  ist.  Because  He  has  given  us  life  and  preserves 
it.  Our  parents  were  only  the  instruments  of  His  providence.  It 
was  He  that  formed  our  members  in  our  mother's  womb,  and  who 
joined  to  our  body  a  spiritual,  intelligent,  and  rational  soul.  He  also 
preserves  our  life  through  the  nourishment  He  furnishes  and  through 
the  safeguards  with  which  He  surrounds  us.  Perhaps  we  do  not  think 
of  this  ;  and  nevertheless  is  it  not  God  who  gives  us  the  air  we  breathe, 
the  bread  we  eat,  and  the  clothing  we  wear.?  He  provides  for  all  our 
wants  and  preserves  us  against  thousands  of  accidents  that  might 
befall  us. 

2d.  But  God  is  not  only  our  Father  because  He  has  given  us  life  and 
preserves  it,  but  also  because  He  has  adopted  us  through  His  grace. 
To  adopt  some  one,  means  to  take  him  for  son.  Now,  faith  teaches 
us  that  the  eternal  Father  has  acknowledged  us  as  His  children  in 
baptism,  and  thus  has  rendered  us  brethren  and  coheirs  of  Jesus  Christ: 
Behold  what  manner  of  charity  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us^ 


ON  THE   LORD'S  PRAYER  I  eg 

that  we  should  be  called  and  should  be  the  sons  of  God  (I.  John  in.  i ). 
What  a  glory  and  what  a  happiness  for  us!  If  a  prince  of  this  world 
were  to  rank  us  among  his  children,  how  happy  would  we  esteem 
ourselves!  But  we  are  made  the  children  of  the  King  of  kings,  the 
lord  and  master  of  the  universe.  St.  Paul  calls  us  :  Coheirs  of  Christ. 
God,  by  adopting  us  as  his  children,  and  by  making  us  brothers  of 
Jesus  Christ,  made  us  at  the  same  time  the  heirs  of  His  kingdom. 
Heaven,  and  heaven  with  all  its  imperishable  goods  and  its  ineffable 
delights,  is  the  magnificent  heritage  reserved  for  us,  if  we  live  as  good 
and  worthy  children  of  God. 

But  why  do  we  say  "  Our  Father,"  and  not  My  Father?  Our  Saviour 
wished  to  remind  us  that  being  all  children  of  God,  we  are  all  brothers 
among  one  another.  Since  we  are  all  brothers,  should  we  not  love 
and  mutually  assist  one  another  as  members  of  the  same  family?  We 
should  all  be  united  in  sentiments  of  real  affection,  which  should  man- 
ifest itself  exteriorly  by  a  true  devotedness  and  by  effective  services 
rendered  to  our  neighbor.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  speak  of  equality  and 
fraternity.  If  we  are  really  brothers  in  Christ,  if  we  really  love  God, 
our  Father,  we  will  also  sincerely  love  our  neighbor,  we  will  live 
in  peace,  and  we  will  form  only  one  heart  and  soul  like  the  early 
Christians. 

Our  Father  who  art  in  heavetif  The  word  "  heaven  "  reminds  us 
that,  although  God  is  everywhere,  nevertheless  heaven  is  the  princi- 
pal sojourn  of  the  Deity,  the  throne  of  His  glory,  and  thither  our 
thoughts  and  desires  should  be  directed.  Prayer  being  an  elevation 
of  our  soul  to  God,  it  is  in  order  to  assist  us  to  elevate  ourselves  to 
Him,  that  our  Master  makes  us  say:  **  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven.* 
If  we  wish  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  our  Lord,  we  should  at  the  begin- 
ning of  ^*  Our  Father,'*  raise  our  thoughts  towards  heaven,  and  con- 
template God  and  the  happiness  which  He  has  there  prepared  for  us ; 
and  we  say  :  ^*  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven  '*  in  order  that  we  may 
detach  our  hearts  from  this  world  and  raise  our  minds  to  heaven. 

III.  Let  us  enter  now  into  the  explanation  of  each  of  the  seven 
petitions  which  compose  the  *' Our  Father.'* 

ist  Petition.  Hallowed  be  thy  natne.  By  these  words  we  must 
not  understand  that  the  name  of  God  can  acquire  any  addition  of 
glory ;  for  the  name  of  God  is  holiness  itself.  But  when  we  say : 
"  Hallowed  be  thy  name,'*  we  ask  that  the  glory  and  sanctity  of  God's 
name  may  be   spread  to   all   parts  of  the  earth,  and  that  men  may 


156 


SECOND   PART.      IV.    INSTRUCTION 


always  render  to  Him  the  homage  and  honor  that  are  due  to  Him. 
We  pray  for  pagans  and  infidels  in  order  that  God  may  make  Himself 
known  to  them,  and  that  they  may  abandon  their  false  worship  and 
embrace  His  holy  and  adorable  religion.  We  pray  for  heretics  and 
schismatics,  in  order  that  they  may  return  to  the  bosom  of  the  true 
Church  which  alone  can  lead  them  to  salvation.  We  pray  for  sin- 
ners, and  particularly  for  those  who  dishonor  God's  holy  name 
through  perjury,  cursing,  and  blaspheming,  in  order  that  they  may 
recognize  the  enormity  of  their  sins  and  turn  from  their  wicked  ways. 
But  we  pray  especially  for  ourselves  in  order  that  He  may  give  us  the 
grace  to  bless  His  holy  name  and  to  love  and  serve  Him  with  an 
always  increasing  fervor.  But  in  asking  God  for  all  these  graces,  let 
not  your  conduct  be  in  opposition  to  your  words ;  you  especially  who 
have  the  habit  of  speaking  injuriously  of  God,  of  religion,  and  of  its 
ministers,  be  on  your  guard  ;  for  you  cannot  recite  the  words  :  "  Hal- 
lowed be  Thy  name,**  without  condemning  yourselves. 

2d  Petition.  Thy  kingdom  come.  The  kingdom  of  God  is  three- 
fold :  1st.  His  temporal  kingdom  upon  earth  through  the  triumph  of 
the  Gospel.  2d.  His  spiritual  kingdom  in  our  souls  through  His 
grace,  and  3d.  His  eternal  kingdom  in  heaven.  To  ask  God  that 
His  kingdom  may  come  is,  therefore,  to  ask,  first,  that  the  Church  may 
be  spread  and  flourish  everywhere  ;  second,  that  God  may  reign  in 
our  soul  by  His  grace,  and  that  He  alone  may  be  its  Master ;  third, 
that  He  may  make  us  merit  to  reign  with  Him  forever  in  heaven. 

The  Church  of  God  is  always  at  war  with  the  world  and  with  the 
powers  of  hell.  The  enemies  of  our  salvation  are  continually  laboring" 
at  our  destruction  ;  it  is  to  call  God  to  the  assistance  of  His  Church 
and  to  our  help,  and  to  conjure  Him  to  preserve  us  from  the  dominion 
of  the  devil,  that  we  ask  Him  that  His  kingdom  may  come.  We  ask 
that  it  may  come  to  us  in  this  world  by  the  constant  and  ever  progress- 
ive triumph  of  the  true  religion,  as  well  as  through  the  infusion  of 
grace  and  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  our  souls ;  and  that  it 
may  come  also  in  the  next  world,  by  the  possession  of  the  eternal 
glory.  "Thy  kingdom  come.'*  How  sweet  and  loving  a  wish!  It  is 
as  if  w^e  would  say  :  **  Oh,  God,  we  do  not  want  the  kingdom  of  the 
devil,  nor  of  the  passions,  nor  of  the  world;  but  we  desire  that  Thou 
mayest  be  our  sole  sovereign  and  Master;  we  desire  that  Thou  only 
shouldst  reign  in  us  during  life,  in  order  that  we  may  reign  with  Thee 
after  death  in  a  blessed  eternity.**     But  how  can   we   say  that  we 


ON   THE   LORD'S   PRAYER  ley 

desire  the  kingdom  of  God  in  our  souls,  if  the  devil  reigns  there  as 
absolute  master  and  we  do  nothing  to  drive  him  out  ?  How^  can  we 
hope  to  reign  one  day  in  heaven,  if  we  employ  no  means  to  merit  it, 
and  when,  by  our  sins  and  vices,  we  put  ourselves  in  continual  danger 
of  losing  it? 

3d  Petition.  Thy  will  be  done.  In  God  there  are  two  kinds  of 
will :  one  by  which  He  determines  all  things  and  which  nothing  can 
resist ;  the  other,  by  which  He  signifies  and  declares  to  us  what  He 
desires  us  to  do,  but  which  we  are  free  to  obey  or  not  to  obey.  The 
first  of  these  two  wills  is  manifested  to  us  in  the  happy  or  unhappy 
events  that  befall  us,  such  as  health  or  illness,  abundance  or  misery, 
joy  or  sorrow.  Evidently,  this  will  is  always  fulfilled  whether  we 
consent  to  it  or  not.  But  what  we  ask  of  God  by  the  words  :  ^*  Thy 
will  be  done,"  is  that  we  may  receive  with  gratitude  and  love  the 
goods  which  He  grants  to  us,  and  submit  ourselves,  with  resignation 
and  patience,  to  any  evils  which  heaven  sends  to  us.  This  resignation 
to  the  will  of  God  is  a  great  grace,  for  besides  being  indispensable  to 
salvation,  it  becomes  for  us  the  source  of  the  most  abundant  consola- 
tions, as  we  can  see  in  the  lives  of  the  saints,  and  especially  in  that  of 
the  holy  man  Job.  The  other  will  of  God  by  which  He  manifests  to 
us  what  He  requires  from  us,  leaving  us  our  free  will,  is  made  known 
to  us  :  1st.  Through  the  commandments  which  He  imposes  upon  us; 
2d.  Through  the  wonderful  lessons  of  virtue  which  our  Lord  has 
given  to  us  in  the  Gospel ;  3d.  Through  the  instructions  of  those  whom 
He  has  given  to  us  as  guides,  viz.^  the  priests  of  His  Church;  4th. 
Through  the  voice  of  our  parents  and  temporal  superiors ;  5th.  Fi- 
nally, through  the  secret  inspirations  of  grace.  But  we  would  commit 
sin  more  or  less  grievous,  and  expose  ourselves  to  damnation,  if  we 
were  to  refuse  to  submit  to  God's  holy  will  in  all  things.  Let  us  pray 
to  God  to  give  us  the  grace  to  conform  ourselves  faithfully  to  His  holy 
will,  and  to  show  the  same  zeal  and  love  which  the  angels  and  saints 
display  in  heaven.  Ah  !  what  a  beautiful  spectacle  would  the  world 
present  if  God's  will  were  done  everywhere;  if  everywhere  there 
would  be  resigned,  submissive,  and  obedient  hearts ;  if  the  thousands 
of  human  wills  would  always  conform  themselves  to  the  divine  will! 
Let  us  pray  that  this  may  be  the  case  with  us  in  future ;  for  this  is  not 
only  the  fulfillment  of  the  Gospel,  but  it  is  the  perfection  of  the  Gos- 
pel. All  the  precepts  and  all  the  counsels  of  spiritual  life  can  be 
reduced  to  one  duty  —  conformity  to  the  will  of  God. 


?58 


SECOND   PART.      V.    INSTRUCTION 


Such  is,  my  brethren,  the  meaning  of  these  three  first  petitions. 
What  excellent  teachings  they  contain  !  We  say  :  "  Our  Father  who 
art  in  heaven.'^  But  are  we  really  His  children?  We  say:  ^*  Hal- 
lowed be  Thy  name.'*  But  can  we  sincerely  desire  the  glory  of  God's 
name  and  at  the  same  time  outrage  it  by  sins  and  blasphemies  ?  ^'  Thy 
kingdom  come.'*  Why,  then,  do  we  permit  the  devil  to  reign  as  mas- 
ter in  our  soul?  *'  Thy  will  be  done.'*  But  why  do  we  murmur  and 
why  are  we  impatient  in  the  evils  which  God  sends  us  ;  and  why  do 
we  violate  the  laws  which  the  holy  will  of  God  imposes  on  us?  Be- 
ware, my  brethren,  of  condemning  yourselves,  if  your  life  is  not  in 
harmony  with  your  prayer.  Humble  yourselves  before  God  for  your 
carelessnesses  in  reciting  that  admirable  prayer  and  in  future  try  to 
say  it  with  sentiments  of  faith,  with  profound  respect  and  with  a 
sincere  sorrow  for  your  sins.     Amen. 


V.  INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Lord's  Prayer   (  Concluded) 

4th  Petition.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.  Here  begin  the 
petitions  that  have  for  their  object  our  own  wants.  By  the  words  : 
**  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,"  we  ask  God  to  grant  to  us  all 
that  is  necessary  for  us  for  both  body  and  soul.  For  the  soul  we  ask 
for  the  bread  of  the  word  of  God,  for  the  Blessed  Eucharist. 

It  is  written  :  Not  in  bread  alone  doth  man  live,  but  in  every  word 
that  froceedeth  from  the  mouth  of  God  (Matt.  iv.  4).  It  is  especially 
in  the  instructions  and  sermons  that  this  bread  of  the  word  of  God  is 
distributed  to  you.  Come,  therefore,  to  assist  at  them  with  exactitude, 
and  listen  to  them  with  attention  and  respect.  Woe  to  the  one  that 
shows  only  indifference  and  disgust  for  this  spiritual  nourishment  of 
the  soul ;  his  state  is  similar  to  a  sick  person  to  whom  the  best  of 
nourishment  appears  tasteless,  who  has  no  desire  for  any  kind  of  food, 
and  who,  consequently,  will  end  by  dying  of  starvation. 

We  ask,  also,  for  the  Eucharistic  bread  which  is  the  bread  far  ex- 
cellence, the  supersubstantial  bread,  as  St.  Matthew  calls  it,  the  bread 
of  angels.      He   that  eateth  this  bread  shall  live  forever,   says  our 


ON  THE   LORD'S   PRAYER  j^g 

divine  Saviour  (John  vi.  59).  It  is,  therefore,  His  desire  that  we 
should  eat  this  bread,  because  for  reward  He  promises  us  eternal  life; 
and  it  is  even  His  will  that  we  should  eat  often  thereof,  because  He 
calls  it  our  daily  bread.  But  we  must  receive  it  with  the  necessary 
dispositions,  that  is,  with  purity  of  heart,  with  sentiments  of  humility, 
love,  and  confidence.  Without  these  this  heavenly  manna,  far  from 
being  for  us  a  wholesome  nourishment,  would  be  for  us  a  mortal 
poison.  Do  you  often  have  recourse  to  this  divine  nourishment? 
How  many  there  are  who,  instead  of  making  it  their  daily  bread, 
hardly  come  to  receive  it  once  a  year!  And  with  what  unworthy 
dispositions  do  they  even  then  receive  it! 

For  the  body  we  ask  three  things :  nourishment,  lodging,  and 
clothing ;  for  all  our  corporal  necessities  can  be  reduced  to  this  three- 
fold want.  All  these  things  come  from  God,  and  though  our  labor 
and  industry  is  necessary  to  procure  them,  it  is  not  less  true  that  the 
God  of  mercy  grants  them  to  us.  But  to  obtain  these  goods,  we  must 
ask  them  for  a  worthy  purpose,  and  we  must  have  the  intention  to 
use  them  only  for  the  greater  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  our 
soul ;  for  were  we  to  make  use  of  them  only  to  offend  God,  certainly 
it  would  be  much  better  to  be  deprived  of  them  forever.  Moreover, 
let  us  ask  only  what  is  necessary,  what  is  sufficient  for  our  needs, 
renouncing  cheerfully  everything  superfluous.  Indeed,  says  St.  Paul, 
having  food,  and  wherewith  to  be  covered^  with  these  we  are  content 
(I.  Tim.  VI.  8).  And  if  God  grants  us  the  superfluous  without  our 
asking  for  it,  we  must  consider  it  as  a  deposit  which  God  entrusts  to 
us  for  the  poor,  and  to  make  use  of  it  only  to  relieve  the  unfortunate. 
Finally,  let  us  avoid  a  too  much  anxiety  in  these  kinds  of  deinands, 
and  let  us  be  careful  not  to  be  occupied  too  much  with  the  next  day. 
Sufficient  for  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof  (Matt.  vi.  34),  says  our  Lord 
in  thf  Gospel.  And  when  He  desires  that  we  should  humbly  expose 
to  Him  our  needs,  He  also  desires  that  we  should  rely  upon  His 
providence  and  His  paternal  care.  For  this  reason  He  teaches  us  that 
we  should  ask  of  Him  each  day  the  bread  that  is  necessary  for  the 
present,  and  not  bread  for  our  whole  life. 

5th  Petition.  Forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive  those  who 
trespass  against  us.  In  this  petition  we  ask  God  for  two  things  :  The 
pardon  of  our  sins,  and  the  means  to  obtain  it,  that  is,  the  grace  of 
penance.  Contrition  is  the  indispensable  condition  of  pardon.  Con- 
sequently, in  order  that  God  may  grant  us  the  pardon  of  our  offenses, 


l6o  SECOND   PART.      V.   INSTRUCTION 

-we  must  sovereignly  detest  them,  or  at  least  we  must  commence  to  ^o 
so.  Without  this  sorrow  for  our  faults,  or  this  commencement  of 
repentance,  our  prayer  would  be  nothing  but  hypocrisy,  and  we  would 
be  like  an  unnatural  son,  who,  after  having  outraged  the  best  of 
fathers,  would  excuse  himself  and  continue,  at  the  same  time,  to  outrage 
him. 

Notice  also,  my  brethren,  under  what  condition  you  ask  pardon. 
*  Forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass  against 
us.''  It  is  only  in  so  far  as  you  pardon  others  that  you  ask  to  be  par- 
doned yourselves.  Therefore,  he  who  does  not  wish  to  pardon  his 
neighbor  and  to  forget  the  injuries  received,  cannot  expect  God  to 
pardon  him.  Does  he  not,  in  making  this  petition,  rather  ask  God 
never  to  pardon  him,  because  he  tells  God  to  treat  him  as  he  himself 
treats  others?  Supposing  that  some  one  has  sworn  an  implacable 
hatred  against  his  enemy,  and  has  declared  that  he  would  always  keep 
the  remembrance  of  the  offense,  and  that  he  would  not  pardon  him 
even  at  his  death;  how  could  he  repeat  the  words:  ^*  Forgive  us  our 
trespasses  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass  against  us,''  without  call- 
ing on  God  to  refuse  His  pardon,  even  at  this  last  moment,  because  he 
himself  refuses  it  to  his  enemy.  You,  therefore,  whose  hearts  are  full 
of  bitterness  against  your  neighbor,  hateful  and  vindictive  souls,  think 
seriously  of  this ;  when  you  say  the  Lord's  Prayer  with  such  evil  sen- 
timents, you  pronounce  your  own  condemnation.  Commence  by  par- 
doning with  a  cheerful  heart,  by  reconciling  yourselves  with  your 
enemy,  and  then  you  can  say  with  sincerity  :  *^  My  God,  pardon  me 
as  I  pardon  those  that  have  offended  me."  Then  will  God  also  par- 
don you,  and  you  can  appear  one  day  with  full  confidence  before  the 
tribunal  of  the  sovereign  Judge,  and  say  to  Him  :  "  Lord,  be  merciful 
to  me,  as  I  have  show^n  mercy  myself." 

6th  Petition.  Lead  us  not  into  temptation.  Temptation  is  an 
inner  movement  of  the  soul  which  inclines  us  to  do  evil.  For  ex- 
ample, it  enters  your  mind  to  steal  something,  or  to  commit  a  bad 
action,  and  you  feel  yourself  moved  to  do  it;  then  we  are  said  to  be 
tempted.  Temptations  generally  come  from  the  devil,  from  our 
passions,  and  from  the  world  —  three  powerful  and  indefatigable 
enemies  who  never  cease  to  wage  war  against  us.  God  permits  us  to 
be  tempted,  in  order  to  try  our  virtue  and  to  increase  our  merit  in 
heaven.  What  merit  has  a  soldier  who  has  never  been  in  battle,  and 
-who  was  never  exposed  to  the  fortunes  and  dangers  of  war  ? 


ON  THE   LORD'S  PRAYER  l6l 

To  resist  temptations  we  are  in  need  of  the  help  of  heaven,  for  by 
ourselves  we  are  too  weak;  and  it  is  this  help  which  we  implore  in 
the  Lord's  Prayer,  when  we  say:  ^*  Lead  us  not  into  temptation.* 
Notice  that  you  do  not  ask  God  to  be  preserved  from  temptation,  for 
temptation  in  itself  is  no  evil.  In  punishment  of  the  sin  of  our  first 
parents  we  are  all  condemned  to  temptation.  But  we  pray  that  God 
may  not  permit  us  to  give  way  to  temptation,  that  is,  to  grant  us  the 
graces  of  which  we  stand  in  need  in  order  not  to  consent  to  the 
thought  of  evil  and  not  to  yield  to  that  inner  movement  which  in- 
clines us  to  sin ;  or  to  render  the  temptations  less  violent. 

But  in  order  that  this  petition  may  have  its  effect,  be  very  careful 
not  to  seek  temptations,  for  it  is  written  that  he  that  loves  the  danger 
shall  perish  in  it  (Eccl.  in,  27).  We  must,  on  the  contrary,  do  all 
we  can  to  avoid  them.  Fleeing  the  occasions,  watchfulness  over  our- 
selves, sobriety,  labor,  and  prayer  are  the  means  ^ve  must  employ. 
And  when,  in  spite  of  all  these  precautions,  temptations  assail  us, 
then  let  us  pray  to  the  Lord  to  come  to  our  assistance,  by  saying  : 
Lord,  lead  us  not  into  temptation:  or,  as  the  apostles  on  the  point  of 
being  drowned:  Lord,  save  us,  ive  perish  (Matt.  viii.  25);  or,  as 
David:  O  Lord,  make  haste  to  help  me  (Ps.  XLix.  2).  Whatever 
may  be  the  violence  of  the  temptation,  let  us  never  permit  ourselves 
to  be  conquered ;  for  God  will  never  allow  us  to  be  tempted  above  our 
strength  ;  He  will  grant  to  us  always  the  help  necessary  to  resist  temp- 
tation and  to  go  forth  victorious,  if  we  ask  for  it  with  an  humble 
confidence. 

7th  Petition.  But  deliver  us  from  evil.  This  petition,  which 
ends  the  Lord's  Prayer,  is,  so  to  say,  its  complement  and  recapitula- 
tion. In  fact,  says  St.  Cyprian,  what  can  remain  for  us  to  desire, 
when  we  obtain  from  God  deliverance  from  all  evil  ? 

To  understand  well  the  meaning  of  this  petition,  we  must  distin- 
guish two  kinds  of  evils  :  temporal  evils  and  spiritual  evils,  or,  the 
evils  of  the  body  and  those  of  the  soul.  With  regard  to  corporal 
evils,  such  as  illness,  famine,  war,  and  other  afflictions,  we  should 
suffer  them  with  patience  and  resignation  when  they  befall  us ;  for  we 
have  merited  them  through  our  sins,  and,  moreover,  they  can  be  of 
great  help  for  us  to  merit  heaven.  The  saints  not  only  cheerfully 
subjected  themselves  to  corporal  evils,  but  they  even  often  desired 
them  in  order  to  render  their  life  more  conformable  to  that  of  Jesus 
Christ,  which   was   a   continual  cross  and   martyrdom.      However,  as 


1 62  SECOND   PART.      V.   INSTRUCTION 

we  are  generally  so  weak,  and  as  these  evils  might  become  for  us  an 
occasion  of  impatience  and  murmuring,  we  may  pray  to  God  to  pre- 
serve us  from  them,  if  He  deems  it  good,  but  always  ready  to  submit 
to  His  holy  will  in  all  things. 

As  to  the  spiritual  evils  from  which  we  pray  to  God  to  deliver  us, 
they  are  :  ist.  Sin,  the  greatest  of  all  evils,  the  only  evil  which  out- 
rages God.  What  are  all  other  evils  compared  to  this,  since  a  God 
had  to  die  to  expiate  it?  2d.  The  punishments  due  to  sin,  that  is, 
the  punishments  of  hell  and  purgatory,  which  would  inevitably  be  our 
lot  if  we  did  not  perform  in  this  world  a  penance  proportionate  to 
our  sins.  3d.  Temptations,  and  especially  those  which  come  from 
concupiscence,  that  is  from  our  passions  —  from  that  natural  inclina- 
tion we  have  to  evil,  on  account  of  original  sin.  4th.  Finally,  all  that 
can  remove  us  from  God,  as  blindness  of  mind,  hardness  of  heart,  and 
final  impenitence. 

We  end  "Our  Father^^  with  the  word  Amen,  which  is  derived 
from  the  Hebrew  language,  and  which  signifies  ]\'fay  it  be  so,  or,  I 
desire  it.  It  is  thus  that  we  generally  end  all  our  prayers,  in  order  to 
declare  that  we  approve  all  that  we  have  said,  and  that  we  ardently 
desire  that  God,  in  His  infinite  goodness,  may  hear  the  petitions  we 
address  to  Him. 

In  this  instruction,  my  brethren,  and  in  the  preceding  one,  you 
have  seen  what  wonderful  things  are  contained  in  the  Lord's  Prayer. 
As  we  have  said  at  the  beginning,  it  contains  in  substance  all  that  we 
have  to  ask  from  God,  either  for  the  present  life,  or  the  life  to  come. 
There  is  not  a  single  useless  word;  each  has  a  more  or  less  profound 
meaning.  It  is  also  the  first  prayer  which  we  learned  from  our  pious 
mothers,  the  first  prayer  that  we  learned  in  our  infancy.  All  the 
saints  had  a  particular  devotion  to  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

St.  Hugh,  a  bishop  of  Grenoble,  in  France,  never  tired  reciting 
it.  even  during  the  pains  of  a  violent  illness,  when  his  servant  told 
him  that  the  fatigue  of  repeating  the  prayer  so  often  might  retard  his 
recovery.  *^  Ah!  you  are  deceived,^*  he  said,  *^  on  the  contrary,  it  can 
only  benefit  me.^^  St.  Francis  of  Assisi  also  found  his  greatest  joy 
in  reciting  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  St.  Francis  of  Sales  tells  us  that, 
in  order  that  its  recitation  may  be  wholesome  to  us,  we  must  well 
weigh  and  appreciate  all  its  words.  A  celebrated  preacher,  dis- 
tinguished by  both  his  piety  and  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  Father 
Lejeune,  never  said  the  "  Our  Father*'  without  shedding  tears.     Many 


ON   THE   HAIL   MARY 


163 


pious  persons  daily  found  new  sources  of  consolation  in  the  "  Our 
Father,'^  and  many  of  them  consecrated  an  entire  week  to  recite  it 
once,  employing  a  whole  day  to  the  meditation  of  each  of  the  seven 
petitions. 

Let  us  imitate  such  beautiful  examples.  May  this  prayer  also  be 
for  us  the  object  of  the  most  tender  and  most  ardent  devotion.  Let 
us  say  it  in  the  morning  on  rising,  to  ask  God  to  spread  His  blessing 
over  our  day's  work;  let  us  say  it  in  the  evening  to  thank  Him  for 
the  graces  He  has  given  us  during  the  day,  and  to  ask  Him  for  those 
we  may  need  to  pass  the  night  well ;  let  us  also  say  it  occasionally 
during  the  day,  and  especially  in  times  of  temptation  and  danger. 
We  sometimes  find  persons  w^ho  say  that  they  do  not  know  how  to 
pray;  but  if  they  know  the  ^*  Our  Father,'*  what  more  do  they  need? 
Still  it  is  not  enough  to  recite  it  often  ;  let  us  also  recite  it  with 
attention,  devotion,  and  confidence,  and  it  will  be  for  us,  as  for  the 
saints,  a  source  of  peace  and  consolation.     Amen. 


VL     INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Hail  Mary 

I.  After  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  "  Hail  Mary  '*  is  the  most  excel- 
lent and  the  most  used  prayer  in  the  Church.  It  is  called  the  "Hail 
Mary,"  because  it  begins  with  the  salutation  which  the  archangel 
Gabriel  addressed  to  Mary  when  he  announced  to  her,  from  the  part 
of  the  Most  High,  that  she  was  destined  to  become  the  Mother  of  the 
Saviour. 

Ordinarily,  we  recite  it  after  the  "Our  Father**  for  two  reasons: 
1st.  Because  after  having  honored  God,  it  is  proper  that  we  should 
also  honor  the  mother  of  His  only  Son;  2d.  Because  Mary  being 
our  most  powerful  advocate  with  her  divine  Son,  she  can  greatly 
assist  us  in  obtaining  all  that  we  ask  for  in  the  "  Our  Father.'* 

The  "  Hail  Mary  **  consists  of  two  parts.  The  first  is  composed 
of  the  words  of  the  archangel  Gabriel  and  of  St.  Elisabeth;  and  the 
second,  of  the  words  which  the  Church  has  added.  The  words  of  the 
archangel   Gabriel  are:   Hail,  full  of  grace,  the   Lord  is  with   thee,. 


1 54  SECOND   PART.       VI.    INSTRUCTION 

blessed  art  thou  among  tvomen.  The  words  of  St.  Elisabeth  are  : 
Blessed  art  thou  among  ivomen  and  blessed  is  the  fruit  of  thy  womb. 
The  words  of  the  Church  are :  Holy  Mary,  Mother  of  God,  pray  for 
us  sinners  noTV  and  at  the  hour  of  our  death. 

II.  Hail,  was  the  word  with  which  the  angel  greeted  Mary  to 
congratulate  her  as  the  mother  of  God  and  to  render  homage  to  her 
dignity.  It  was  the  first  time  in  the  world's  history  that  a  prince  of 
the  heavenly  court  came  to  pay  his  respects  to  one  of  our  fallen  race. 
In  the  Old  Law,  the  angels  appeared  sometimes  to  the  patriarchs  and 
even  to  holy  women,  as  to  Sara  and  Agar ;  but  they  did  not  bow  be- 
fore human  creatures  and  did  not  offer  them  homage.  Why,  then,  the 
extraordinary  honors  rendered  to  Mary?  Because  she  surpassed  all 
angels  and  men  in  graces  and  merits,  and  because  she  was  destined  to 
become  the  mother  of  a  God. 

III.  Hail  Mary.  The  word  Mary  means  Lady,  Queen,  Mother, 
Mistress,  and  it  properly  belongs  to  the  Blessed  Virgin;  because  in  be- 
coming the  mother  of  God,  she  became  at  the  same  time  the  great 
lady  of  the  universe,  the  queen  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  mistress  of 
angels  and  men,  and  the  mother  of  all  Christians.  Sweet  and  amiable 
name!  Name  above  every  name,  after  that  of  Jesus!  Glorious  name 
w^hich  the  greatest  queens  of  earth  considered  it  an  honor  to  bear ! 

IV.  Hail  Mary,  full  of  grace.  What  magnificent  praise  of 
Mary  is  contained  in  these  few  words !  Mary  is  full  of  grace,  because 
she  was  the  offspring  of  the  illustrious  race  of  kings  and  patriarchs  of 
the  Old  Testament ;  she  is  full  of  grace,  because,  as  Solomon  teaches 
under  the  veil  of  an  allegory,  she  is  all  fair  and  there  is  no  spot  in 
her  (Cant.  iv.  7).  But  she  is  especially  full  of  grace,  because  she  has 
been  preserved  from  original  sin  from  the  very  moment  of  her  concep- 
tion and  during  her  whole  life  she  was  exempt  from  all  actual  sin 
and  from  all  inclination  to  sin,  and  because,  filled  with  love  for  her 
God  and  zeal  for  His  glory,  she  attained  by  her  virtues  and  merits 
such  a  degree  of  perfection  as  cannot  be  attained  by  any  other  crea- 
ture, not  even  by  the  angels  in  heaven.  The  Fathers  of  the  Church  as- 
sure us  that  Mary  alone  has  received  more  graces  than  all  the  saints 
together,  and  they  compare  her  with  that  mysterious  fleece  of  Gedeon 
which,  in  one  night,  collected  all  the  heavenly  de\v.  They  call  Mary 
the  reservoir  of  all  graces,  and  teach  that  from  her  as  from  a  source  all 
graces  flow.  O,  Mary,  how  pure  and  amiable  art  thou!  Thou  art 
resplci.dent  with  holiness  and  glory,  and  most  worthy  of  our  respect 


ON  THE  HAIL   MARY 


i6s 


and  of  our  love!  Ah!  grant  that  we  may  walk  in  thy  footsteps  here 
on  earth  in  order  that  we  may  see  and  contemplate  thee  forever  in 
heaven ! 

V.  Hail  Mary,  full  of  grace,  the  Lord  is  with  thee.  Undoubt- 
edly, God  is  with  Mary  as  He  is  in  the  souls  of  all  the  just,  by  sancti- 
fying grace ;  but  He  is  also  with  Mary  in  a  more  intimate  manner. 
God  the  Father  is  with  Mary,  as  a  bridegroom  with  his  bride,  because 
she  conceived  in  time  the  One  whom  He  begot  from  all  eternity.  God 
the  Son  is  with  Mary  as  her  Son.  God  the  Holy  Ghost  is  with  Mary 
as  in  His  temple.  But  in  considering  this  union  only  in  the  incarnate 
Word,  these  words  signify  that  in  the  very  instant  when  the  angel 
spoke  to  Mary  the  Son  of  God  came  to  descend  into  her  chaste  womb; 
that  she  bore  Him  during  nine  months  in  her  bosom  ;  that  after  hav- 
ing brought  Him  forth,  she  will  nourish  Him,  she  will  see  Him  grovsr 
in  age  and  wisdom,  will  follow  Him  in  His  evangelical  travels,  be 
witness  of  His  works  and  miracles,  will  assist  at  His  sacrifice  on  Cal- 
vary, and  later  will  be  reunited  with  Him,  never  more  to  be  separated 
from  Him.  The  Lord  will  also  be  with  us,  if  we  desire  to  be  with 
Him.  He  has  no  more  lively  desire  than  to  reign  in  our  souls  so  as  to 
make  us  reign  with  Him  in  heaven.  But  how  does  it  come  that  we 
remain  obstinate  in  living  separate  from  so  dear  a  friend,  from  so  good 
and  tender  a  father,  and  to  expose  ourselves  by  our  sins  to  lose  Him 
forever ! 

VI.  Blessed  art  thou  among  women.  This  is  what  Solomon  had 
foretold  long  before  :  Matty  daughters  have  gathered  together  riches; 
thou  hast  surpassed  them  all  (Prov.  xxxi.  29).  The  sacred  books  are 
full  of  illustrious  names  carried  by  holy  heroines ;  but  it  can  be  easily 
seen  that  their  glory  and  grandeur  was  only  a  shadow  and  outline  of 
that  which  later  on  was  to  be  realized  in  Mary.  Debora  conquered 
the  enemies  of  God's  people  and  sang  the  praises  of  God;  but  Mary 
triumphed  over  the  enemy  of  mankind,  and  the  hymn  of  her  grati- 
tude, the  Magnificat,  is  still  repeated  by  all  mouths.  Judith  saved 
Bethulia,  by  cutting  off  the  head  of  the  cruel  Holofernes ;  but  Mary  in 
bringing  forth  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  crushed  the  head  of  the  in- 
fernal serpent,  and  delivered  mankind  from  bondage.  Esther  found 
favor  before  King  Assuerus,  and  won  life  and  liberty  for  a  proscribed 
race.  But  Mary  found  grace  before  the  King  of  kings,  and  averted 
God's  anger  from  the  heads  of  a  guilty  race.  Mary  conceived,  with- 
out ceasing  to  be  a  virgin,  brought  forth  without  pain,  and  tasted  the 


l66  SECOND   PART.       VI.    INSTRUCTION  ^ 

joys  of  motherhood,  while  preserving  intact  the  honor  of  virginity. 
She  is  the  new  Eve ;  she  has  given  us  life,  as  the  first  Eve  brought 
death  into  the  world.  We  can  say  of  both  what  St.  Paul  said  of  the 
two  Adams  —  that  the  first  was  all  earthly,  whilst  the  second  came  to 
us  from  heaven. 

But  if  Mary  is  blessed  among  all  women  by  the  favors  and  privi- 
leges with  which  she  has  been  overwhelmed,  so  have  all  women 
also  been  blessed  in  Mary  :  The  jirst  man  was  of  the  earthy  earthly^ 
the  second  man  from  heaven^  heavenly  (I.  Cor.  xv.  47).  Before  the 
coming  of  Mary,  women  were  condemned  to  the  hardest  and  most 
shameful  slavery.  Subject  to  pitiless  masters,  rather  than  being 
united  to  good  and  tender  husbands,  they  were  treated  only  as  serv- 
ants. They  were  often  abandoned  and  driven  from  home.  The 
pagans  hardly  reckoned  women  among  the  number  of  human  crea- 
tures. And  even  in  our  own  days,  among  those  nations  ignorant  of 
the  Gospel,  to  what  degradation,  to  what  ignominies  is  woman  not 
condemned?  In  one  country  they  are  locked  up  like  a  herd  to  gratify 
the  voluptuousness  of  a  cruel  master ;  in  another  country  they  are  con- 
demned to  perpetual  widowhood  after  the  death  of  a  first  husband,  or 
they  are  forced  to  cast  themselves  alive  on  the  funeral  pyre  of  their 
dead  master.  Whole  books  would  be  needed  to  depict  the  horrors 
and  indignities  which  non-Christian  nations  have  heaped  upon 
woman.  But  Mary  appeared,  and  in  the  same  time  her  sex  was 
raised  from  its  degradation  and  restored  to  all  its  primitive  rights. 
The  indissolubility  of  marriage  was  proclaimed,  and  the  Christian 
woman  became  anew  an  object  of  regard,  of  love,  and  of  respect. 
Christian  wives,  bless  Mary,  your  great  deliverer,  after  Jesus,  and 
always  honor  her  as  the  most  beautiful  and  most  perfect  woman.  Let 
us  all  bless  and  honor  her  with  the  angel  Gabriel  for  the  part  she  has 
taken  in  the  redemption  of  the  world,  for  the  eminent  dignity  with 
which  she  is  clothed,  and  for  the  numberless  benefits  with  which  she 
overwhelms  us  every  day. 

VII.  But  our  homage  will  be  agreeable  to  Mary  only,  when  we 
join  with  them  a  praise  for  her  divine  Son,  and  this  is  why,  after 
having  proclaimed  her  blessed  among  women,  St,  Elisabeth  teaches 
us  to  add  :  And  blessed  is  the  fruit  of  thy  womb  (yesus).  Jesus  and 
Mary,  two  inseparable  names,  the  object  of  all  our  worship,  as  they 
should  be  the  object  of  all  our  veneration  and  of  all  our  love.  We 
cannot  honor  the  one  without  the  other ;  in  vain  would  we  call  our- 


ON   THE   HAIL   MARY 


167 


selves  the  servants  of  Mary,  if  at  the  same  time  we  were  not  the  faith- 
ful disciples  of  Jesus,  because  from  the  Son  the  Mother  holds  all  her 
grandeur  and  all  her  glory,  and  because  He  is  the  principle  and  source 
of  all  blessings  which  are  spread  upon  earth,  and  because  nobody  can 
be  blessed  except  through  Him, 

In  the  next  instruction  we  shall  see  the  motives  which  the  Church 
suggests  to  excite  our  love  and  confidence  in  Mary. 


Vn.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Hail  Mary   (  Concluded) 

I.  Holy  Mary^  Mother  of  God.  Such  are  the  first  words  which 
the  Church  has  added  to  the  "  Hail  Mary.'*  Mary  is  indeed  *^  holy'* ; 
she  was  conceived  without  sin,  and  she  never  suffered  the  least  stain 
of  sin  or  imperfection.  She  far  exceeds  the  angels  and  saints  in  sanc- 
tity, and  there  is  no  holiness  comparable  to  hers. 

II.  Holy  Mary.,  Mother  of  God.  This  title  of  Mother  of  God,  a 
title  so  glorious  to  Mary,  is  hers  because  she  conceived  in  her  chaste 
womb  and  brought  forth  Jesus  Christ,  true  God.  She  is  mother  of 
Jesus  Christ  only  according  to  His  humanity ;  but  in  Jesus  Christ  the 
humanity  and  the  divinity  are  so  united  that  they  are  inseparable,  and 
after  their  intimate  union  only  the  divine  person  remains.  Mary  is 
therefore  the  Mother  of  God.  When  the  impious  Nestorius  denied 
that  Mary  was  the  Mother  of  God,  the  entire  Church  assembled  at 
Ephesus  hastened  to  condemn  the  blasphemer.  He  refused  to  retract 
and  was  ignominiously  driven  from  the  city  and  sent  into  exile  where 
he  died  a  miserable  death. 

III.  How  great  must  be  the  glory  and  dignity  of  Mary  in  heaven! 
As  Mother  of  God,  she  is  united  with  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost.  She  is  allied  with  the  holy  and  adorable  Trinity,  rank- 
ing next  to  God,  admitted  to  the  counsel  and  partaking  in  all  the 
favors  of  the  Divinity.  As  Mother  of  God,  she  is  the  queen  of 
heaven  and  earth,  elevated  above  the  angels  and  the  whole  celestial 
court ;  below  God,  indeed,  but  raised  above  all  that  is  not  God.  How 
great  must  be  her  influence  and  her  power  in  heaven !      Mother^  ask 


l68  SECOND   PART.      VII.    INSTRUCTION 

iv  hat  you  please^  says  Jesus  to  her,  and  all  will  be  granted  to  thee^  for 
I  must  not  turn  away  thy  face  (III.  Ki.  ii,  20).  And  what  could  her 
divine  Son  refuse  to  the  mother  who  bore  Him  in  her  bosom,  who 
nourished  Him  with  her  own  substance,  who  suffered  so  much  on  His 
account  and  lavished  so  many  cares  upon  Him !  So  great  is  the  influ- 
ence which  Mary  enjoys  with  her  divine  Son,  that  she  can  do  by  her 
prayers  whatever  He  can  do  by  His  almighty  power.  Although  her 
power  in  heaven  is  not  absolute  and  independent  as  that  of  God,  and 
although  it  is  only  an  all-powerful  intercession,  it  is  not  less  effica- 
cious ;  for,  as  we  often  say,  the  prayers  of  a  beloved  mother  are  com- 
mands. How  powerful  must  be  the  prayers  of  a  Mother  such  as 
Mary  with  a  Son  such  as  Jesus ! 

It  is  difficult  to  overrate  the  influence  and  power  of  Mary.  Accord- 
ing to  the  opinion  of  the  most  famous  doctors  of  the  Church,  God 
never  grants  any  grace  except  through  the  intercession  of  Mary.  As 
much  as  Eve  contributed  to  our  loss,  so  much  Mary  contributed  to  our 
salvation.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  source  of  all  graces,  and  Mary  is  the 
channel  through  which  they  flow.  All  heavenly  gifts  pass  through 
her  hands ;  she  is  the  steward  and  dispensatrix  of  grace,  according  to 
the  expression  of  St.  Bernardin  of  Siena.  Is  it  not,  therefore,  a  rig- 
orous duty,  as  well  as  an  absolute  one,  for  us  to  have  recourse  to 
Mary.?  Since  it  is  the  arrangement  of  Providence,  since  it  is  the  will 
of  God,  that  we  can  be  saved  only  through  Mary,  would  it  not  be 
imperiling  our  salvation  not  to  implore  her  protection.? 

IV.  We  can  have  recourse  to  Mary  with  all  confidence.  For  as 
much  as  Mary  is  powerful  with  her  divine  Son,  so  much  is  she  full  of 
love  and  goodness  for  us.  It  is  sufficient  to  remember  that  Mary  the 
Mother  of  God  is  also  our  mother.  Our  Saviour  Himself  left  us  this 
precious  legacy  on  Mount  Calvary.  What  a  touching  scene !  The 
Saviour  hanging  on  the  cross  sees  at  His  feet  the  two  dearest  objects 
of  His  heart:  His  tender  mother  and  His  well-beloved  disciple: 
IVoman,  he  says,  behold  thy  son,  and  then  addressing  St.  John,  who 
represented  all  the  faithful.  He  says:  Behold  thy  mother  (John  xix.  27) . 
But  if  Mary  is  our  mother  what  must  not  be  her  tenderness  for  us  who 
are  her  children  !  Can  a  mother  be  insensible  to  the  wants  and  miseries 
of  those  to  whom  she  has  given  life?  And  thou  Mary,  the  best  and 
most  tender  of  mothers,  couldst  thou  be  insensible  to  our  misery? 
Couldst  thou  leave  us  without  help  in  the  midst  of  so  many  enemies 
bound  to   destroy  us?     Oh,  no!   this  thought  would  be   an  outrage. 


ON  THE   HAIL  MARY 


169 


We  might  as  well  say  that  God  is  indiflFerent  to  our  happiness  or  to 
our  misfortune,  to  our  salvation  or  to  our  perdition. 

Read  history,  read  the  lives  of  the  saints,  read  the  authentic 
accounts  of  the  miracles  wrought  through  the  intercession  of  Mary, 
examine  the  Ex  votos  which  are  suspended  on  the  walls  of  churches 
and  chapels  dedicated  to  her  honor,  and  there  you  will  find  striking 
proofs  of  her  continual  protection,  of  her  love  and  inexhaustible  good- 
ness towards  mankind,  "  Count  if  you  can,"  says  a  pious  author, 
**  how  often  she  has  consolidated  kingdoms  and  empires!  To  how 
many  armies  she  has  given  victory !  To  how  many  heresies  she  has 
put  an  end!  Count,  if  you  can,  from  how  many  perils  devotion  to 
Mary  has  delivered  those  that  have  practiced  it!  How  many  sick  she 
has  healed !  How  many  she  has  delivered  from  the  flames,  from  the 
horrors  of  war,  from  famine  and  pest !  .  .  .  What  tribulations, 
what  sufferings,  what  evils  of  every  kind  did  Mary  not  banish!  *  All 
this  she  has  done  for  the  welfare  of  the  body.  And  for  the  soul,  how 
many  graces  has  one  not  obtained  through  her  intercession !  How 
many  just  'ones  owe  to  her  their  perseverance ;  how  many  obstinate 
sinners  their  conversion!  No  one  ever  implored  her  assistance  in 
vain.  *  Yes,  O  Virgin  Mary,**  cried  out  St.  Bernard  in  the  fervor  of 
his  zeal,  "  I  am  willing  never  more  to  speak  of  thy  mercy,  if  there  is 
anybody  here  who,  after  having  invoked  thee,  can  say  that  he  was 
not  helped  by  thee.** 

Such  are,  my  brethren,  the  powerful  motives  of  confidence  with 
which  the  words,  **  Holy  Mary,  Mother  of  God,**  should  inspire  us. 
Mary  as  Mother  of  God,  is  all-powerful  before  God ;  and  Mary  as  our 
mother,  is  full  of  goodness  and  mercy  towards  us.  Let  us,  therefore, 
invoke  this  good  and  tender  mother,  and  let  us  invoke  her  with  full 
confidence,  in  saying  to  her  with  the  Church :  "  Holy  Mary,  Mother 
of  God,  pray  for  us  sinners.**  Yes,  O  holy  Virgin,  we  acknowledge 
that  we  are  sinners,  poor  miserable  sinners,  all  covered  with  iniqui- 
ties, and  unworthy  to  be  counted  among  the  number  of  thy  children. 
But,  if  we  have  been  unworthy  children  till  now,  we  will  not  be  so 
any  longer.  We  beg  thee  to  obtain  for  us  the  necessary  graces  to 
begin  a  new  life  :  Pray  for  us  sinners. 

VI.  Pray  for  us  sinners,  notv:  that  is,  during  our  whole  lifetime. 
The  past  no  longer  belongs  to  us,  neither  is  the  future  ours,  and  per- 
haps never  will  be  ours.  Only  the  present  moment  is  at  our  disposal. 
But  this  present  time,  however  rapid  it  may  be,  is  the  time  of  perils. 


lyo 


SECOND    PART.      VII.    INSTRUCTION 


is  the  time  of  trials  and  combats,  it  is  the  battlefield  where  we  have 
to  combat  the  three  dreadful  enemies  who  are  conspiring  for  our  ruin : 
the  world,  our  passions,  and  hell.  Now  is  the  time  of  our  pilgrim- 
age in  the  valley  of  tears,  all  filled  with  afflictions  and  miseries ;  mis- 
eries for  the  body  and  miseries  for  the  soul.  Ho\v  can  we  resist  so 
many  assaults,  surmount  so  many  obstacles,  face  so  many  dangers,  we 
whose  weakness  is  so  great  that  we  can  do  nothing  for  our  salvation, 
without  the  help  of  God !  Therefore,  O  Mary,  pray  for  us  now;  for 
if  thou  dost  not  stretch  forth  thy  helping  hand,  we  are  lost.  Pray  for 
us  now;  for  the  time  is  short  and  the  end  approaches.  Pray  for  us 
now;  for  perhaps  upon  this  present  moment  our  eternal  lot  will 
depend. 

VII.  But  it  is  especially  at  death,  my  brethren,  that  we  shall  need 
Mary's  assistance,  because  in  that  decisive  moment,  and  in  that  mo- 
ment of  trouble  and  anxiety,  our  enemies  will  redouble  their  rage  and 
fury  to  encompass  our  ruin.  ^*  O  Mary,  pray  for  us,  now  and  at  the 
hour  of  our  death.^^  Pray,  in  order  that  in  this  last  moment  the  devil 
may  have  no  power  over  us  ;  pray  that  if  unfortunately  we  have  been 
in  the  state  of  mortal  sin,  we  may  have  time  to  acknowledge  it  and  to 
do  penance  ;  pray  that  we  may  have  time  to  make  our  confession  and 
to  receive  the  Viaticum  with  full  knowledge  and  proper  sentiments. 
Pray  for  us,  now  atid  at  the  hour  of  our  death.  Happy  the  one  who 
invokes  thee  thus  with  confidence  during  his  whole  life !  He  will 
merit  that  thou  wilt  assist  him  in  this  last  hour  and,  aided  by  thy 
powerful  hand,  he  needs  to  fear  nothing  from  the  part  of  his  enemies, 
and  he  will  peaceably  fall  asleep  in  thy  maternal  arms  until  awaken- 
ing in  heaven. 

VIII.  Amen,  so  be  it.  By  this  word  the  Church  ends  all  her 
prayers,  and  such  is  also  the  last  word  of  the  Angelic  Salutation. 
"Amen"  is  the  consent  we  give  to  all  what  it  contains.  "Amen,* 
be  it  so,  may  all  the  sentiments  we  have  expressed  to  Mary  be  ac- 
cepted by  her,  and  may  all  that  we  have  asked  for  ourselves  be 
granted  to  us. 

IX.  Recite  often  this  excellent  prayer,  but  recite  it  with  attention, 
love,  and  confidence.  You  cannot  address  a  more  beautiful  prayer  to 
this  good  and  tender  mother,  nor  one  that  is  more  certain  to  obtain 
her  assistance.  Recite  it  with  pious  sentiments,  in  the  morning,  at 
noon,  and  in  the  evening,  when  the  Angelus  bell  rings,  in  remem- 
brance of  the  Incarnation  —  an  excellent  practice,  to  which  numerous 


ON   THE   HAIL   MARY 


171 


indulgences  are  attached.  Make  it  also  your  duty  to  recite  the  Ro- 
sary daily,  and  never  be  ashamed  to  carry  the  beads  about  you  or  to 
hold  them  in  your  hand.  But  to  become  good  and  faithful  servants 
of  Mary,  do  not  limit  yourselves  to  praying  to  her,  but  enter  some  of 
her  Confraternities,  visit  chapels  or  altars  dedicated  to  her,  receive 
the  sacraments  on  her  feast  days,  and,  above  all,  try  to  walk  in  her 
footsteps  by  imitating  her  virtues ;  and  by  thus  honoring  the  mother 
you  will  honor  the  Son,  and  you  will  merit  to  be  united  with  both  for 
all  eternity.     Amen. 


THIRD    PART 

ON  CHARITY  AND  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  GOD 
AND  THE  CHURCH 

I.     INSTRUCTION 

On  Charity  towards  God 

^HARiTY  is  a  gift  of  God  by  which  we  love  Him  above  all 
things,  and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves  for  the  love  of  God. 
Of  the  three  theological  virtues  it  is  the  sweetest  and  the 
most  excellent ;  it  is  the  one  which  gives  lustre  and  value  to  all 
the  others,  and  without  which  faith  and  hope  would  profit  us  noth- 
ing :  Now  there  remain  faith,,  hope,  and  charity;  but  the  greatest  of 
these  is  charity  (I.  Cor.  xiii.  13).  St.  Paul  says:  If  I  speak  with 
the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become 
as  sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal.  And  if  I  should  have 
prophecy,  and  should  know  all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge,  and  if  I 
should  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could  refnove  mountains,  and  have  not 
charity,  I  am  nothing.  And  if  I  should  distribute  all  my  goods  to 
feed  the  poor,  and  if  I  should  deliver  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  I 
have  not  charity,  it  frofiteth  me  nothing  (I.  Cor.  xiii.  1—3).  But,  on 
the  contrary,  with  charity  we  have  all.  In  the  love  of  God  and  of 
our  neighbor  are  contained  the  law  and  the  prophets  (Matt.  xxii. 
40)  ;  that  is,  the  whole  Gospel  and  all  the  duties  which  it  prescribes 
to  us.  Therefore,  it  is  important  to  know  well  the  nature,  necessity, 
and  practice  of  charity.  We  have  to  devote  several  instructions  to 
this  subject.  Let  us  begin  with  the  charity  towards  God,  and  first  let 
us  study  its  motives  and  characters. 

II.   Why  should  we   love   God?     Undoubtedly,  because  He  com- 
mands us  to  do  so  :    Thou  shall  love  the  Lord  thy  God  (Matt.  xxii. 
37).     Being  the  absolute  master  over  our  hearts,  has  He  not  the  right 
(172) 


ON   CHARITY  I-, 

to  require  that  we  should  consecrate  ourselves  entirely  to  Him  ?     **  But, 

0  my  God/*  cries  St.  Augustine,  ^'  was  it  then  necessary  to  command 
us  to  love  Thee?  Would  it  not  be  for  us  the  greatest  of  all  misfor- 
tunes, if  we  did  not  love  Thee?"  We  should  love  God  because  He 
is  infinitely  amiable,  because  He  is  infinitely  good  and  just,  that  is, 
we  should  love  Him  from  a  motive  of  justice,  from  a  motive  of  grati- 
tude ;  and,  shall  I  say  it,  we  should  love  Him  for  our  own  interest. 

ist  Motive.  Justice. —  I  will  not  undertake  to  draw  a  picture  of 
all  the  divine  perfections.  It  is  an  abyss  into  which  our  weak  intelli- 
gence cannot  penetrate.  The  angels  and  even  the  seraphim,  who  see 
God  face  to  face,  can  only  contemplate  Him,  love  Him,  and  celebrate 
His  praises.  God  alone  can  understand  Himself,  and  all  I  could  tell 
you  would  be  infinitely  below  the  reality.  Thus,  if  I  were  to  tell  you 
that  God  is  not  only  infinitely  great  and  powerful,  but  that  He  is  the 
greatness  and  power  itself ;  that  He  is  not  only  holy  and  wise,  but 
that  He  is  holiness  and  wisdom  itself;  in  short,  if  I  were  to  tell  you 
that  God  possesses  in  Himself  all  the  qualities  and  all  the  perfections 
that  can  be  imagined,  and  that  He  possesses  them  all  in  the  most  per- 
fect degree,  this,  undoubtedly,  would  be  telling  you  something,  and, 
nevertheless,  it  would  be  nothing  in  comparison  with  the  reality.  I 
would  be  only  lisping  like  a  child,  and  I  could  say  with  the  prophet: 

1  cannot  speak  (Jer.  i.  6). 

To  form  an  idea  of  the  grandeur  and  perfections  of  God,  represent 
to  yourselves  all  that  is  the  greatest,  the  most  amiable,  the  most 
magnificent,  in  creatures,  in  the  firmament  with  its  numberless  stars, 
in  the  seas  with  their  extent  and  the  immense  riches  lying  in  their 
bosom,  in  the  earth  with  its  inexhaustible  fruitfulness,  finally  in  all 
that  nature  can  offer  to  our  eyes  as  most  seducing  and  most  en- 
chanting, and  you  will  have  but  a  dim  shadow  and  obscure  picture  of 
the  infinite  beauty  of  God.  It  is  from  Him,  as  from  a  fruitful  and 
inexhaustible  source,  that  flow  all  the  perfections  of  creatures,  all  the 
wonders  of  the  world ;  but  they  are  only  a  pale  and  slight  reflex  of 
God's  greatness.  By  His  sovereign  and  immortal  glory  He  eclipses 
and  effaces  all  created  beings  more  than  the  sun,  which  at  its  rising 
eclipses  the  stars  of  the  firmament.  He  is  so  beautiful,  He  is  so  great, 
He  is  so  amiable,  that  in  heaven  His  sole  presence  enraptures  the 
blessed  and  plunges  them  into  ecstasies  of  happiness  and  love.  The 
more  they  love  Him,  the  more  they  feel  themselves  moved  to  love 
Him;  and  we  ourselves  upon  earth,  if  we  could  see  Him  such  as  He 


174 


THIRD   PART.      I.    INSTRUCTION 


is,  could  not  help  loving  Him  and  would  never  grow  tired  of  loving 
Him.  One  glimpse  of  His  glory  and  majesty  would  forever  deprive 
us  of  our  will,  and  even  of  the  power  to  displease  Him ;  our  happi- 
ness would  be  similar  to  that  of  the  heavenly  spirits,  and  the  earth 
would  become  another  paradise.  St,  Paul  was  one  day  carried  into 
the  third  heaven,  and  for  a  moment  he  beheld  the  ineflfable  light 
which  the  elect  enjoy.  This  magnificent  spectacle,  which  the  eye  of 
man  has  never  seen,  threw  him  into  inexpressible  admiration,  and 
from  this  time  life  became  a  burden  to  him  and  he  longed  to  die  in 
order  to  go  and  possess  God  forever. 

Yet  how  does  it  come  that  we  love  such  an  amiable  God  so  little, 
and  that  we  have  such  love  for  the  vanity,  the  goods  and  pleasures  of 
this  world?  Blind  as  we  are,  we  prostitute  our  hearts  to  idols  of  flesh 
and  blood,  we  sigh  only  after  vain  riches  and  frivolous  dress,  and  we 
do  not  realize  that  all  that  is  beautiful  and  perfect  here  below  comes 
from  God  who  is  the  author  of  all  things.  We  love  the  creature,  and 
we  do  not  love  the  Creator;  we  admire  the  work,  and  we  forget  the 
workman  who  made  it.  Oh,  children  of  men,  harden  not  your  hearts 
(Hebr.  in.  8). 

2d  Motive.  Gratitude. —  If  you  are  insensible  to  the  voice  of  just- 
ice, perhaps  you  will  listen  to  the  voice  of  gratitude.  Since  God  loves 
you  so  much,  will  you  not  feel  yourselves  bound  to  love  Him  in  re- 
turn? Measure,  if  you  can,  the  full  extent  of  the  love  which  God 
bears  you,  and  count  the  benefits  with  which  He  overwhelms  you 
every  day.  Without  speaking  of  those  you  have  received  in  the  order 
of  nature,  such  as  life,  health,  goods,  talents,  what  has  He  not  done 
for  you  in  the  order  of  grace  ?  Children  of  a  guilty  father,  you  were 
in  His  eyes  only  objects  of  wrath  and  vengeance.  Eternal  damnation 
would  have  been  infallibly  your  lot,  if  God,  who  alone  could  redeem 
you,  would  not  have  had  mercy  on  you.  What,  therefore,  has  the 
Lord  done  to  save  you,  or,  rather,  what  has  He  not  done?  He  had 
a  Son,  an  only  Son,  the  only  object  of  His  complacency,  God  like 
Him,  eternal,  almighty,  and  perfect  like  Him  ;  and  this  Son  He  sacri- 
ficed. He  immolated  for  you,  as  if  He  loved  you  more  than  He  loved 
His  own  Son. 

And  the  Son  of  God  Himself,  the  Saviour,  how  far  did  He  not 
push  the  excess  of  His  love !  Consider  Him  in  the  stable  of  Bethle- 
hem, follow  Him  into  the  Garden  of  Olives,  into  the  various  tribunals 
of  Jerusalem  and  up  the  mount  of  Calvary  ;  does  your  heart  not  speak 


ON   CHARITY 


175 


to  you  at  the  sight  of  so  many  prodigies  of  pain,  annihilation,  and 
love?  Tell  me,  if  one  of  you  had  been  condemned  to  death  by  human 
justice,  and  if  the  only  son  of  a  king  should  be  willing  to  die  in  his 
place,  could  the  condemned  man  remain  insensible  to  such  love? 
And,  nevertheless,  remark  that  the  only  Son  of  God,  the  King  of 
kings,  not  only  died  for  you  once  on  the  cross,  but  He  immolates 
Himself  still  every  day  on  our  altars  and,  what  is  still  more  incompre- 
hensible, in  His  ineffable  love  He  found  a  way  to  remain  always  with 
us;  even  to  give  Himself  to  us,  to  nourish  us  with  His  divine  sub- 
stance, and  identify  Himself,  so  to  say,  with  us !  Can  one  conceive  a 
prodigy  of  love  like  this ;  and  could  God,  all-powerful  as  He  is,  do 
anything  more?  How  in  considering  all  this  could  we  refuse  to  love 
a  God  who  loved  us  so  much?  If  any  man  love  not  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christy  let  him  be  anathctna  (I.  Cor.  xvi.  22).  His  heart  would  be 
harder  than  the  stones  that  were  rent  at  Jesus'  death  on  Calvary, 
more  insensible  than  the  dead  themselves  who  then  arose.  We 
w^ould  have  to  say  that  he  who  refuses  to  love  God  has  no  heart  at 
all. 

3d  Motive.  Our  Own  Interest. — To  the  reasons  we  have  to  love 
God,  drawn  from  motives  of  justice  and  gratitude,  I  wish  to  add  a 
last  motive,  not  less  powerful,  that  of  your  own  interest.  My  breth- 
ren, do  you  desire  to  be  happy  in  this  world  and  in  the  next?  Love 
God. 

In  this  world,  happiness  is  possible  only  in  so  far  as  one  has  peace 
with  his  conscience,  peace  with  God:  There  is  no  peace  to  the  wicked 
(Is.  XLViii.  22).  But  if  our  heart  is  penetrated  with  the  love  of  God, 
what  sweetness,  what  consolation  is  ours!  St.  Paul,  even  in  chains 
and  in  the  horrors  of  a  dungeon,  tells  us  that  he  abounded  with  joy 
(II.  Cor.  vn.  4).  St.  Xavier,  in  the  midst  of  the  fatigues  of  his  apos- 
tolate  and  in  a  foreign  land,  among  idolatrous  peoples,  cried  out : 
"My  heart  is  too  full  of  joy,  O  Lord,  my  happiness  is  too  great!  '* 
Have  you  not  sometimes  experienced  the  joy  of  God's  love?  Remem- 
ber the  day  of  your  first  communion,  of  a  good  confession.  Have 
you  ever  enjoyed  happier  days  ? 

But  it  is  especially  in  heaven  that  we  shall  taste  the  unspeakable 
joys  and  sweetness  of  divine  love.  In  this  world,  God  lets  fall  His 
sweetness  only  drop  by  drop;  but  in  heaven,  it  is  in  torrents.  In  this 
world,  we  see  God  through  the  shadows  of  faith,  but  in  heaven  we 
shall  see  Him  face  to  face  and  such  as  He  is  (I.  Cor.  xiii.  12).     And 


176 


THIRD   PART.      I.    INSTRUCTION 


in  seeing  Him  we  will  love  Him  with  the  most  holy  and  most  perfect 
love.  Oh!  who  could  express  the  whole  extent  of  happiness  which 
the  saints  find  in  the  ecstasies  of  this  love!  One  day  St.  Monica  was 
conversing  on  this  subject  with  her  son  Augustine,  when,  suddenly, 
her  heart  became  so  inflamed  with  the  divine  love,  that  she  lost  all 
power  of  speech  and  fell  into  an  ecstasy.  Having  come  to  herself 
again,  she  cried  out:  ^^O  God,  what  am  I  doing  here  below,  and 
what  can  bind  me  still  to  this  earth  ?  Why  is  it  not  given  me  to  flee 
at  .this  very  moment  into  Thy  holy  tabernacles.?^'  And  we,  also,  my 
brethren,  would  look  with  disgust  upon  all  the  perishable  things  of 
the  earth,  and  we  would  sigh  only  after  the  eternal  felicity,  if  we 
rightly  understood  the  happiness  that  is  aw^aiting  us  there. 

III.  How  should  we  love  God.?  We  must  love  Him  with  our 
whole  heart,  with  our  whole  mind,  and  with  all  our  strength  (Matt. 
XXII.  37)-  This  means  we  must  love  Him  ^vith  a  sincere  love,  with  a 
love  of  preference,  and  with  an  efficacious  love.  To  love  God  with 
a  sincere  love,  is  to  love  Him  not  only  with  our  lips,  but  from  the 
bottom  of  our  heart.  To  love  Him  with  a  love  of  preference,  is  to 
love  Him  more  than  all  that  is  dearest  to  us  in  this  world,  more  than 
father  and  mother,  more  than  one's  own  life.  To  love  God  with  an 
efficacious  love,  is  to  be  disposed  to  observe  faithfully  all  His  com- 
mandments and  those  of  His  Church  ;  it  is  to  be  resigned  to  the  orders 
of  His  Providence  in  all  the  trials  He  sends  us,  in  all  the  afflictions 
that  befall  us;  it  is  to  refer  to  Him  all  our  actions,  all  our  pains,  and 
to  have  no  other  intention  but  to  do  in  all  things  His  holy  will.  To 
love  God  ^*  with  one's  whole  heart,  with  one's  whole  mind,  and  with 
one's  whole  strength, '^  is  to  fly  with  horror  and  to  detest  sovereignly 
all  that  displeases  Him ;  it  is  to  be  firmly  and  sincerely  resolved  to 
sacrifice  riches,  honor,  and  even  life  itself,  rather  than  to  commit  a 
venial  sin.  Finally,  it  is  to  think  often  of  God,  to  be  happy  in  His 
presence,  to  love  to  visit  Him  in  His  temple,  to  pray  to  Him,  and  to 
converse  with  pious  and  fervent  persons. 

Can  we  say,  my  brethren,  that  thus  far  we  have  really  loved  God 
with  this  sincere,  sovereign,  and  efficacious  love?  You,  for  instance, 
who  totally  neglect  the  duty  of  prayer,  the  services  of  the  church,  the 
sacraments,  can  you  say  that  you  love  Him?  Surely  you  do  not. 
And  you  who  live  in  hatred  of  your  neighbor,  who  unjustly  retain  his 
goods,  who  daily  tarnish  his  honor  by  your  calumnies  and  slanders, 
can  you  say  that  you  love  God?     Surely  not.     And  you  who  have 


ON   THE   LOVE   OF   OUR   NEIGHBOR 


177 


criminal  relations  with  persons  of  the  other  sex,  who  live  in  the  habit 
of  sin  and  shame,  can  you  say  that  you  love  God  ?  Surely  not.  And 
you  who  respect  no  law  of  the  Church,  who  observe  neither  fast  nor 
abstinence,  who  do  not  receive  Holy  Communion  even  during  Easter 
time,  can  you  say  that  you  love  Him?  Surely  not.  And  you,  luke- 
warm and  indifferent  souls,  who  fulfill  your  duties  only  by  half,  who 
do  everything  with  disgust,  and  rather  through  custom  and  routine 
than  through  devotion,  who  are  not  afraid  at  all  to  commit  venial 
faults,  can  you  say  that  you  love  God  and  love  Him  above  all  things.? 
No,  you  do  not  love  Him. 

O,  my  God,  what  a  number  of  ungrateful  children  you  behold  here 
to-day  at  your  feet !  Pardon  us,  O  Lord,  our  iniquities,  our  luke- 
warmness,  and  our  indifference.  Yes,  we  acknowledge  that  until  now 
we  have  been  far  from  loving  Thee  as  we  should  have  done,  but  in 
future  we  shall  love  Thee  all  the  more.  It  is  very  late,  indeed,  that 
we  begin  to  love  Thee,  O  beauty  ever  ancient  and  ever  new ;  but  we 
commence  at  last  and  we  shall  try  to  love  Thee  always  more  and 
more,  to  love  Thee  above  all  things  and  to  love  Thee  until  death,  in 
order  to  deserve  to  love  Thee  perfectly  and  to  possess  Thee  eternally 
in  heaven.     Amen. 


n.  INSTRUCTION 
On  Charity  towards  Our  Neighbor 

After  having  treated  of  the  motives  and  characters  of  the  love  of 
God,  there  remains  for  us  to  speak  of  the  necessity  of  loving  our 
neighbor  and  the  manner  in  which  we  should  love  him.  These  two 
loves  are  inseparable,  and  the  one  is  not  less  indispensable  than  the 
other;  for,  says  St.  John,  if  any  man  says,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his 
neighbor,  he  is  a  liar  (I.  John  iv.  20).  This  is  why  in  the  act  of 
charity,  after  declaring  that  we  love  God  above  all  things,  we  immedi- 
ately add  :   "And  our  neighbor  as  ourselves." 

Three  principal  motives  should  induce  us  to  love  our  neighbor:  the 
voice  of  nature,  the  voice  of  grace,  and  the  formal  command  of  God. 


178 


THIRD   PART.      II.   INSTRUCTION 


I.  The  voice  of  nature. — We  are  all  children  of  the  same  father 
and  members  of  the  same  family.  Rich  and  poor,  great  and  small, 
Christians  and  infidels,  we  all  have  the  same  origin  which  is  God,  the 
same  nature  and  the  same  destiny  which  is  heaven.  Hence,  that 
sympathy  by  the  natural  inclination  we  feel  for  our  fellow-men,  when 
we  are  not  influenced  by  selfishness  and  passion.  Man  naturally 
seeks  the  company  of  man ;  he  loves  it,  he  desires  it,  and  he  feels  mis- 
erable and  unhappy  if  he  is  condemned  to  live  in  solitude. 

Men  are  born  to  live  in  society,  to  help  one  another  in  their  pains 
and  needs ;  they  are  not  made  to  live  in  a  savage  state,  like  the  ani- 
mals in  the  woods.  But  without  this  benevolent  charity,  and  without 
this  mutual  love  of  which  we  speak,  how  would  society  be  possible? 
Is  it  not  evident  that  without  it  men  would  soon  come  to  treat  one 
another  like  ferocious  beasts,  always  ready  to  surprise  and  to  devour 
one  another ;  whilst  by  charity  man  becomes  to  man  like  a  second 
Providence,  by  the  good  offices  he  renders  him. 

My  brethren,  if  w^e  would  all  love  one  another,  what  a  happy 
change  w^ould  soon  take  place  in  the  w^orld!  How  compassionate 
would  the  rich  be  to  the  poor !  How  honest  and  obliging  would  the 
poor  be  to  the  rich!  What  peace  and  good  order  would  reign  in  fam- 
ilies, in  parishes,  and  communities.  There  would  be  an  end  of  all 
disorders,  divisions,  and  hatreds,  which  so  often  bring  on  terrible 
catastrophes  and  even  threaten  to  overthrow  society !  Whence  arises 
that  dissatisfaction  which  exists  to-day  more  than  ever  in  society,  that 
violent  antagonism  between  the  poor  and  the  rich,  those  mutterings 
of  discontent  and  that  rumbling  of  a  strife  that  threatens  to  subvert 
society?  It  is  because  there  is  no  longer  any  charity  among  men. 
People  have  become  selfish,  each  one  seeks  only  his  own  interest,  and 
envies  all  that  are  above  him  in  rank  and  fortune,  and  men  are  not 
ashamed  to  employ  the  most  unjust  means  to  elevate  and  to  enrich  them- 
selves at  the  expense  of  others.  Show  me  a  country,  a  parish,  a  family 
where  charity  reigns  and  you  will  see  that  there  is  neither  trouble,  nor 
discord,  nor  theft,  nor  slander.  Peace  reigns  supreme  therein,  and  the 
members  have  a  foretaste  of  paradise.  How  happy  and  peaceful  men 
would  be,  if  everybody  would  practice  charity ! 

II.  The  Voice  of  Grace. —  We  are  not  only  rational  and  social 
beings,  but  we  are  also  Christians,  brothers  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  mem- 
bers of  the  same  holy  Church.  What  a  powerful  motive  for  union 
and  mutual  love.     Behold,  says  the  apostle  St.  Paul  to  the  Romans, 


ON  THE  LOVE  OF  OUR  NEIGHBOR  lyp 

the  different  members  which  compose  the  human  body ;  how  anxious 
they  are  to  assist  one  another !  When  one  of  them  is  suffering,  how 
all  the  others  feel  uneasy,  how  they  exert  themselves,  as  if  they  were 
anxious  to  assist  it!  When  you  happen  to  get  a  pin  in  the  foot,  says 
St.  Augustine,  the  eye  quickly  tries  to  discover  it,  the  back  bends 
down,  and  the  hand  makes  efforts  to  tear  it  out.  When  somebody 
wounds  you  in  any  part  of  the  body,  the  tongue  cries  out :  You  hurt 
me.  It  does  not  say :  You  hurt  my  foot  or  my  hand,  but :  You 
hurt  me ;  showing  the  intimate  union  which  reigns  among  the  various 
members  of  the  body. 

So,  also,  are  we  all  members  of  the  mystic  body  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  through  Jesus  Christ  we  should  sympathize  with  the  miseries 
of  one  another,  assist  one  another  in  our  needs,  and  love  one  an- 
other with  the  most  sincere  and  most  efficacious  love.  Look  at  our 
divine  Saviour,  our  chief  and  our  model,  and  see  what  wonderful  ex- 
amples He  has  given  us  of  this  charity  during  His  whole  mortal  life. 
Was  there  ever  a  man  that  loved  his  fellow-men  as  Jesus  Christ  loved 
us?  Follow  Him  in  all  the  circumstances  of  His  hidden  life,  as  well 
as  of  His  public  life,  study  Him  in  all  His  words  and  in  all  His 
actions,  and  you  will  see  that  His  every  word  and  action  was  dictated 
by  the  most  tender  charity.  I  shall  not  enter  into  detail  about  all  that 
He  did  in  favor  of  men,  to  relieve  them  in  their  evils  and  to  do  them 
good.  I  would  have  to  quote  the  entire  Gospel ;  let  it  be  sufficient  to 
remind  you  of  the  stable  of  Bethlehem  and  of  Calvary.  What  more 
could  He  do  to  show  us  His  love?  Now,  my  brethren,  should  not  the 
disciple  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  Master?  And  how  can  we  flat- 
ter ourselves  to  be  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  if,  instead  of  this  frater- 
nal love  and  this  sympathizing  charity  with  which  the  whole  Gospel 
breathes,  we  have  for  our  brethren  only  indifference,  hatred  or  con- 
tempt? 

III.  The  Formal  Precept  Which  God  Has  Given  Us. — If  there  is 
in  the  Gospel  a  positive  and  fundamental  law,  it  is  certainly  the  law 
of  charity.  One  day  a  Doctor  of  the  Law  asked  our  divine  Saviour 
which  was  the  greatest  precept  of  the  Law,  and  He  answered  :  Thou 
shall  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  thy  ivhole  heart,  and  thy  whole  soul^ 
and  with  thy  whole  strength.  This  is  the  greatest  and  first  command- 
ment. And  the  second  is  like  to  this:  Thou  shall  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself  (Matt.  xxii.  37-39).  During  His  whole  lifetime,  Jesus  Christ 
often  reminded  His  disciples  of  this  obligation  ;  but  in  order  that  it 


l3o  THIRD    PART.      II.    INSTRUCTION 

should  never  be  effaced  from  their  memory,  He  returns  to  it  again  on 
the  eve  of  His  death,  and  in  that  w^onderful  discourse  which  He  made 
at  the  Last  Supper,  and  which  we  may  regard  as  His  last  will,  He 
said  to  them:  My  children,  my  little  children, ^//o/z  mei,  I  am  going 
to  leave  you.  But  before  I  separate  Myself  from  you,  I  wish  to  give 
you  a  new  commandtnent ^  "which  is  to  love  one  another^  as  I  have  loved 
you  (John  xv.  12).  Why  does  Jesus  Christ  call  this  commandment 
new?  It  is  not  new,  indeed,  as  to  the  substance,  because  it  dates  not 
only  from  the  law  of  Moses,  but  from  the  very  origin  of  the  world ; 
but  it  is  because  Jesus  Christ  asks  of  us  a  more  perfect  love  than  that 
which  had  been  prescribed  until  then.  In  another  place  He  adds  that 
it  is  not  only  a  new  precept  which  He  wishes  to  give  them,  but  it  is 
His  precept :  This  is  my  commandment.  As  if  He  were  saying  to 
them  that  this  is  His  whole  law,  and  that  all  the  other  obligations 
which  He  imposes  on  them  can  be  reduced  to  the  one  :  To  love  one 
another  as  He  has  loved  us,  That  you  love  one  another  as  I  have  loved 
you  (John  xiii.  34). 

And  in  order  that  there  may  not  be  the  least  doubt  about  His 
words,  and  to  make  us  understand  the  importance  He  attaches  to  this 
commandment.  He  adds,  in  the  same  place,  that  it  is  by  this  mark, 
that  it  is  by  this  fraternal  love  that  everybody  will  know  whether 
we  are  His  disciples.  Sy  this  shall  know  all  men  that  you  are  my 
disciples  (John  xiii.  35).  It  is  not,  says  St.  Augustine,  by  the 
power  of  driving  out  devils,  or  raising  the  dead  to  life,  or  by  working 
the  greatest  miracles,  that  Christians  will  be  known,  but  they  will  be 
known  by  fraternal  charity.  Our  Saviour  wished  that  charity  should 
be  the  distinctive  character  of  the  Christian,  the  mark  by  which 
everybody  could  recognize  His  true  followers. 

How,  then,  can  we  doubt  the  necessity  of  fraternal  charity,  and 
how  can  one  believe  himself  to  be  a  Christian  if  he  does  not  love  his 
neighbor?  Consider  the  life  of  the  early  Christians,  instructed  in  the 
school  of  the  Saviour;  what  peace,  what  union,  what  charity!  There 
was  never  among  them  the  least  hatred,  the  least  discord;  never  any 
lawsuits  nor  litigations ;  even  poverty  was  unknown  among  them, 
because  those  who  had  goods  shared  them  with  those  that  had  none. 
In  a  word,  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  tell  us  that  they  had  but  one  heart 
and  one  soul  (Acts.  iv.  32).  Even  the  pagans,  those  sworn  enemies 
of  the  Christian  religion,  were  astonished  and  amazed  at  the  charity 
which    reigned    among    the    Christians :    Behold   how    they    love    one 


ON  THE   LOVE   OF   OUR   NEIGHBOR  igj 

another,  they  said,  thus  rendering  involuntarily  testimony  to  the  word 
of  our  divine  Master,  who  had  said :  By  this  shall  all  7nen  knotv  that 
you  are  my  disciples. 

How,  then,  can  any  one  call  himself  a  Christian  if  he  has  no 
charity?  You,  hateful  and  revengeful  spirits,  who  never  let  pass  an 
occasion  to  injure  your  neighbor,  can  you  call  yourselves  Christians? 
And  you,  unjust  retainers  of  another's  goods;  you,  indefatigable 
litigants,  going  to  court  for  the  most  trivial  causes ;  you,  men  without 
heart,  and  you  who  let  the  poor  die  of  hunger  or  cold  rather  than 
assist  them,  can  you  say  that  you  are  the  disciples  of  a  God  who  died 
a  victim  of  love  for  us  ?  Can  you  claim  to  be  members  of  a  religion 
whose  distinctive  mark  is  charity  and  benevolence?  No,  you  are  not 
Christians,  and  if  you  continue  to  walk  in  your  evil  ways,  you  can- 
not expect  to  share  one  day  in  the  rewards  of  Jesus  Christ. 

My  brethren,  it  is  related  in  Church  history,  that  the  apostle  St. 
John,  while  living  at  Ephesus  and  being  unable  to  walk,  on  account 
of  his  great  age,  caused  himself  to  be  carried  into  the  church  on  the 
arms  of  his  disciples,  and  not  having  the  strength  to  make  tong  dis- 
courses to  them,  he  contented  himself  with  saying :  *^  My  children, 
my  little  children,  love  one  another.*^  And  when  his  disciples,  some- 
what tired  of  hearing  him  always  repeat  the  same  thing,  remonstrated 
with  him,  he  made  to  them  the  beautiful  answer  :  ^'  I  always  repeat 
this  to  you,  and  this  alone,  because  it  is  the  precept  of  the  Lord, 
and  it  alone  is  sufficient,  provided  it  is  well  observed.*^ 

Neither  can  I,  my  brethren,  repeat  these  words  too  often  :  love 
one  another.  Charity,  the  Gospel,  behold  the  epitome  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion!  Without  charity  all  the  rest  is  useless;  I  would  deem 
myself  happy,  if  I  had  convinced  you  of  the  absolute  necessity  of 
charity,  especially  if  I  could  win  you  to  practice  it  always.  Oh,  how 
happy  the  parish,  how  happy  the  family  would  be,  if  charity  reigned 
triumphant !  O  God,  if  there  is  any  desire  in  my  heart,  it  is  that 
charity  may  reign  among  this  little  flock  entrusted  to  my  care,  which 
I  love  with  my  whole  heart,  and  to  which  I  desire  to  consecrate  my 
cares  and  my  life  !     Amen. 


,82  THIRD  PART.      III.  INSTRUCTION 

III.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Charity  towards  Our   Neighbor   (  Concluded) 

In  the  last  instruction  I  demonstrated  the  necessity  of  fraternal 
charity;  to-day,  I  am  going  to  show  you  its  practice.  Our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ  Himself  taught  us  this  when  He  said  :  This  is  my  com- 
mandment, that  you  love  one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you  (John 
XV.  12).  Jesus  Christ  loved  us  to  the  extent  of  suffering  and  dying 
for  us ;  our  charity  must,  therefore,  be  sincere  and  efficacious.  Jesus 
Christ  loved  us  solely  for  our  salvation  ;  our  charity  must,  therefore, 
be  pure  and  holy.  Jesus  Christ  loved  us  all  and  without  exception, 
because  He  suffered  and  died  for  all  men  ;  our  charity  must,  there- 
fore, be  universal. 

I.  Our  charity  must  be  sincere  and  ejfficacious.  Let  us  not  love 
in  word,  nor  in  tongue,  says  the  apostle  St.  John,  but  in  deed  and  in 
truth  (John  iii.  18).  Our  Lord  says.  Thou  shall  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself  (Matt.  v.  43).  The  love  we  bear  to  ourselves  must,  therefore, 
be  the  measure  of  the  love  we  bear  to  our  neighbor.  We  must  wish 
and  do  to  others  what  we  desire  that  others  should  wish  and  do  to 
us.  ** Therefore,  let  us  examine,^*  says  St.  Augustine,  "how  we  love 
ourselves  and  from  this  let  us  conclude  how  much  we  should  love  our 
neighbor."  Everyone  loves  himself,  and  no  one  likes  to  hear  others 
speak  ill  of  him  ;  let  us,  therefore,  never  speak  ill  of  our  neighbor. 
Everyone  wishes  to  raise  himself  to  honor  and  fortune,  to  succeed  in 
his  affairs ;  let  us,  therefore,  not  be  jealous  of  the  honor,  the  fortune, 
and  the  success  of  others.  Everyone  wishes  to  have  his  faults  tenderly 
dealt  with,  to  be  consoled  in  affliction  and  to  be  helped  in  sickness  and 
want;  let  us,  therefore,  do  to  our  neighbor  what  we  wish  that  he 
should  do  to  us. 

If  charity  consisted  only  in  words,  or  in  protestations  of  compas- 
sion and  love  then,  indeed,  there  w^as  never  a  century  more  charitable 
than  ours.  But  we  must  come  to  actions.  We  must  make  sacrifices 
to  relieve  the  unfortunate,  to  give  bread  to  the  hungry  and  clothing  to 
the  naked.  We  must  not  stop  at  words  of  pity.  Our  actions  must 
demonstrate  our  charity,  else  we  lay  ourselves  open  to  the  charge  that 
we  love  our  neighbor  with  our  lips,  but  our  heart  is  far  from  him.  It 
is  easy  to  love  our  neighbor  in  words,  but  the  true  test  of  charity  lies 
in  the  sacrifice  of  our  goods,  our  pleasures,  and  ease  and  comfort  for 


ON    THE    LOVE   OF   OUR   NEIGHBOR 


183 


the  sake  of  the  unfortunate.  Charity  in  words  is  mere  egotism.  Like 
the  Jews  of  whom  the  Gospel  speaks,  who  seeing  a  man  lying  by  the 
road,  covered  with  wounds  and  half-dead,  and  seeing  him  passed  by, 
so  do  we  often  remain  insensible  to  the  miseries  of  others.  Ah!  my 
brethren,  let  us  imitate  the  good  Samaritan,  let  us  prove  by  works 
that  we  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves,  and  let  us  treat  him  as  we 
would  wish  to  be  treated  ! 

II.  Charity  must  be  pure  and  holy.  What  motives  have  we  to 
love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves.''  We  are  all  children  of  the  same 
father  who  is  God,  members  of  the  same  body  which  is  the  Church, 
and  because  Jesus  Christ,  our  Head,  commands  us  to  do  so.  There- 
fore, we  must  love  all  in  God  and  for  God's  sake.  The  natural  affec- 
tion which  we  feel  for  certain  persons,  on  account  of  their  character 
or  physical  or  moral  qualities,  is  not  charity.  This  attachment  may  be 
good,  but  it  has  its  dangers.  "  Would  it  not  be  loving  for  hell,*^  says 
St.  Chrysostom,  ^*  if  one  would  love  another  only  with  evil  intentions 
and  wicked  designs?*^  Religion  does  not  disapprove  the  human  affec- 
tion which  one  has  for  his  parents,  benefactors,  and  friends.  It  is  a  law 
which  God  has  implanted  in  our  hearts.  But  that  natural  affection, 
without  relation  to  the  Creator,  is  not  what  religion  prescribes.  To 
love  our  neighbor  only  with  a  natural  and  interested  love  would  be 
loving  him  as  the  pagans  do.  and  there  would  be  no  merit.  **  The 
true  Christian,'^  says  St.  Francis  of  Sales,  **  loves  God  in  his  neigh- 
bor, and  his  neighbor  in  God."  He  loves  God  in  his  neighbor,  be- 
cause he  refers  to  the  Creator  all  the  affections  he  has  for  the  creature, 
and  because  he  loves  his  neighbor  only  on  account  of  God.  He  loves 
his  neighbor  in  God  and  for  God,  that  is  for  the  salvation  of  his  soul, 
and  because  God  wills  it. 

This  is  that  pure  and  holy  charity,  that  sacred  fire  which  Jesus 
Christ  came  to  bring  upon  earth.  How  beautiful  and  precious  it  is, 
and  what  blessings  it  would  procure  us,  if  we  would  practice  it  accord- 
ing to  the  example  of  the  Saviour!  But  alas!  where  are  they  who 
truly  love  their  neighbor?  Some  love,  because  nature  inclines  them  to 
love,  and  their  heart  can  no  more  be  without  love  than  the  sun  can  be 
without  heat  and  light.  Some  love  only  those  whose  character  and 
opinions  agree  with  their  own,  or  those  who  do  them  good,  or  who  are 
able  to  help  them.  Some  love  their  companion  in  pleasure,  or  the 
accomplices  in  crime.  They  damn  the  souls  of  others  they  love, 
while  damning  their  own.     What  strange  charity!     Is  this  the  love 


iS^  THIRD   PART.      III.  INSTRUCTION 

commanded  by  the  Gospel?  And  are  not  those  scandals  and  disorders 
that  we  see  all  around  us,  those  quarrels,  those  family  dissensions,  the 
fruit  of  a  perverted  and  criminal  love  ?  Young  people  of  both  sexes, 
be  careful  never  to  permit  the  fire  of  impure  love  to  be  enkindled  in 
your  hearts. 

III.  Charity  must  be  universal.  Such  v^^as  the  charity  of  our 
divine  Saviour.  He  loved  poor  and  rich,  pagans  and  Jews;  those 
who  persecuted  Him  as  well  as  those  who  loved  Him.  He  suffered 
and  died  for  all  men.  He  wants  us  to  imitate  His  example  and  love 
all  men  without  distinction  of  character,  country,  condition,  and  even 
of  religion.  He  wishes  that  we  love  the  stranger,  as  we  love  our 
nearest  and  dearest  neighbor,  Jews,  Mohammedans,  and  heretics,  just 
as  we  love  the  members  of  our  own  true  Church.  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  (Matt.  v.  43).  He  excepts  nobody,  not  even  our  enemy. 
Tou  have  heard.,  says  the  Saviour,  that  it  hath  been  said:  Thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbor  and  hate  thy  enemy.  But  I  say  to  you:  Love  your 
enemies.,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you;  and  pray  for  them  that  perse- 
cute and  calumniate  you.,  that  you  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father 
that  is  in  heaven.,  ivho  maketh  His  sun  to  rise  upon  the  good  and  bad, 
and  raineth  upon  the  just  and  the  unjust.  For  if  you  love  them  that 
love  you,  what  reward  shall  you  have  P  Do  not  even  the  publicans  the 
same?  And  if  you  salute  your  brethren  only,  what  do  you  more? 
Do  not  also  the  heathen  this  ?  (Matt.  43—47.)  If,  then,  we  desire  to 
be  true  Christians,  we  must  love  all  our  fellow-men,  without  distinc- 
tion. And  if  there  were  in  the  world  only  one  single  person,  whom 
we  did  not  love,  we  would  not  have  charity.  But  you  may  say  :  How 
can  I  love  those  who,  far  from  loving  me,  seek,  on  the  contrary,  to 
injure  me  in  every  possible  manner?  I  know^  that  the  love  of  our 
enemy  is  something  very  difficult.  Perhaps  it  is  the  most  difficult 
precept  of  the  entire  Gospel.  But  God  commands  it  and  we  must 
obey.  But,  you  may  say,  to  love  my  enemy  I  must  pardon  him;  and 
if  I  pardon  him  I  will  be  looked  upon  as  a  coward.  No,  my  dear 
brother,  do  not  believe  this ;  on  the  contrary,  you  will  be  only  the 
more  respected  and  esteemed  by  all  good  people,  for  there  is  no 
greater  victory,  no  victory  more  honorable  than  the  victory  over  self. 
In  the  Lord's  Prayer  you  say  :  ^*  Forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  for- 
give those  who  trespass  against  us.**  But  if  you  do  not  pardon,  why 
do  you  ask  to  be  pardoned?  And  by  asking  God  to  treat  you  as 
you    treat  your  neighbor,  you    ask    Him   not   to   pardon   you.     You 


ON  THE   LOVE   OF   OUR  NEIGHBOR 


185 


cannot  recite  this  prayer  without  condemning  yourselves.  In  temp- 
tations to  anger  or  revenge,  look  on  the  crucifix.  Think  of  Christ  on 
the  cross.  Can  you  call  yourselves  the  disciples  of  a  God  who  par- 
doned His  very  executioners  and  prayed  for  them  on  the  cross,  if  you 
cannot  forgive  an  injury,  or  even  an  unkind  word.''  O  cross  of  my 
Saviour,  what  hatreds  and  wraths  hast  Thy  remembrance  extin- 
guished! It  was  the  cross  which  disarmed  John  Gualbert,  when, 
having  met  his  enemy  unarmed  and  alone  in  the  forest,  he  was  about 
to  revenge  himself  for  the  murder  of  one  of  his  relatives.  After  this 
victory  over  himself,  God  rewarded  him  with  such  extraordinary 
graces,  that  he  became  a  great  saint.  It  was  the  cross  that  caused  the 
tomahawk  to  fall  from  the  hands  of  a  savage  at  the  moment  when  he 
was  going  to  strike  the  holy  bishop  of  Bardstown,  Monseigneur 
Flaget.  This  pious  missionary  uncovered  his  breast  and  showed  to 
the  Indian  his  crucifix,  saying:  "Behold  the  image  of  Him  who  died 
for  you  on  the  cross;  strike,  if  you  dare!"  Instantly  the  savage  fell  at 
the  feet  of  the  holy  bishop  and  asked  to  be  baptized. 

Imitate  these  beautiful  examples  and  pardon  your  enemies,  not 
once,  but  "until  seventy-seven  times,**  in  the  words  of  our  Saviour, 
that  is,  always.  Do  not  content  yourselves  with  pardoning  your 
enemy  in  your  heart,  but  go  and  reconcile  yourselves  with  him,  salute 
him,  speak  with  him  when  he  desires  to  speak  with  you. 

Has  your  charity  all  the  marks  of  true  Christian  love?  Charity 
m.ust  be  sincere  and  efficacious.  Do  you  give  to  the  poor  according  to 
your  means;  do  you  bear  with  patience  the  faults  of  others?  Charity 
must  h^  pure  and  holy.  Do  you  love  everybody  in  God  and  for  God's 
sake,  or  do  you  nourish  at  the  bottom  of  your  heart  an  impure  and 
criminal  affection?  Charity  must  be  universal.  Do  you  harbor  hatred 
against  any  one?  Do  you  love  everyone  as  you  love  yourselves?  Do 
you  wish  to  everyone  the  same  good  which  you  desire  for  yourselves? 

St.  Paul  enumerates  the  qualities  of  true  charity:  Charity  is  pa- 
tient and  full  of  kindness;  it  envies  not;  it  is  not  puffed  up,  it  is  not 
ambitious  and  seeks  not  its  own;  it  provokes  not  to  anger,  thinks  no 
evil,  rejoices  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoices  ivith  the  truth;  it  bears  all 
thing's,  believes  all  things,  hopes  all  things,  and  endures  all  things 
(I.  Cor.  XIII.  4-7). 

May  God  grant  that  your  charity  be  such,  and  that  after  having 
been  united  by  the  bonds  of  an  intimate  charity  here  on  earth,  you 
may  love  one  another  in  a  happy  eternity.     Amen. 


,86  THIRD   PART.      IV.   INSTRUCTION 

IV.  INSTRUCTION 

On  Charity  —  Works  of  Mercy 

After  having  spoken  to  you  of  the  necessity  of  fraternal  charity, 
and  of  the  qualities  it  should  have,  there  remains  for  us  to  instruct 
you  on  the  works  of  mercy  which  it  prescribes.  These  works  are  of 
two  kinds:  corporal  and  spiritual.  The  first  are  seven  in  number:  ist. 
To  feed  the  hungry ;  2d.  To  give  drink  to  the  thirsty ;  3d.  To  clothe 
the  naked;  4th.  To  visit  the  imprisoned;  5th.  To  harbor  the  harbor- 
less;   6th.   To  visit  the  sick ;   7th.   To  bury  the  dead. 

I.  As  to  the  last  work  of  mercy,  burying  the  dead,  we  cannot 
have  praise  enough  for  the  zeal  of  persons  who  are  ready  to  assist  at 
this  sad  and  pious  duty.  It  is  an  act  of  charity  which  can  be  of  great 
merit  before  God,  if  it  is  fulfilled  with  Christian  views.  Holy  Scrip- 
ture teaches  us  that,  through  the  care  he  took  to  bury  the  dead,  the 
holy  man  Tobias  merited  an  angel  to  descend  from  heaven  to  accom- 
pany his  son  on  a  journey  to  a  distant  country.  It  is  also  a  laudable 
custom  to  accompany  the  dead  to  their  last  abode.  Is  it  not  the  last 
service  which  you  can  render  to  a  relative,  a  friend,  or  a  benefactor? 
But  in  doing  so  you  should  not  be  guided  by  a  sentiment  of  propriety, 
but  by  a  spirit  of  true  piety  which  moves  you  to  join  your  prayers 
with  those  of  the  Church  for  the  repose  of  the  departed. 

II.  The  sixth  work  of  mercy  is  visit ing^  the  sick,  especially  those 
who  are  in  need  of  assistance.  I  do  not  need  to  insist  on  the  neces- 
sity and  advantages  of  these  visits.  Our  Lord  tells  us  that  by  visit- 
ing those  who  suffer,  we  visit  Him.  /  was  sick  and  you  visited  me 
(Matt.  XXV.  36).  If  charity  requires  us  to  assist  the  poor  who  are 
well,  and  who  can  help  themselves,  with  much  more  reason  ought 
it  to  lead  us  to  aid  those  who  cannot  leave  their  home  on  account  of 
sickness  or  infirmities.  But  in  order  that  these  visits  may  be  useful, 
they  should  not  be  visits  of  mere  benevolence  or  human  respect,  still 
less  of  pastime,  or  tiresome  visits,  which,  on  account  of  their  length 
or  their  inopportuneness  contribute  often  only  to  increase  the  fatigue 
and  sufferings  of  the  sick.  They  should  be  inspired  by  a  sincere 
charity,  and  should  be  made  with  a  view  of  advancing  both  the  spir- 
itual and  corporal  good  of  the  sick  person.  If  the  sick  person  is  poor 
—  and  it  is  especially  to  the  poor  that  visits  are  useful — you  should 


ON   WORKS  OF   MERCY 


187 


inform  yourselves  about  his  needs.  See  that  he  has  proper  food  and 
the  means  to  procure  the  remedies  that  are  necessary  for  him ;  that  he 
has  wood  or  coal  to  keep  himself  warm,  clothing  to  cover  himself 
both  day  and  night,  and  that  he  has  some  one  to  attend  to  him.  If 
the  person  you  visit  is  in  no  need  of  help  for  the  body,  you  can  always 
do  good  to  him  spiritually.  If  he  is  pious  and  a  practical  Christian, 
he  will  listen  with  pleasure  and  gratitude  to  the  words  of  edification 
you  speak  to  him ;  if  he  is  a  sinner,  perhaps  it  will  be  necessary  for 
you  to  remind  him  of  his  last  end,  to  exhort  him  to  go  to  confession. 
Often  one  word  of  a  devoted  friend  helps  more  than  all  the 
exhortations  of  the  priest. 

III.  The  four  works  of  mercy  which  concern  food,  drink,  clothing; 
and  lodging;  are  all  comprised  under  the  common  term  of  alms.  I 
shall  not  speak  of  the  fourth  work  :  To  visit  the  imprisoned,  because 
we  live  in  a  country  where  there  is  hardly  any  occasion  for  it. 

I  St.  Almsgiving  and  Its  Necessity. — You  would  deceive  yourselves 
greatly,  my  brethren,  if  you  were  to  believe  almsgiving  is  only  a  work 
of  counsel,  and  a  mark  of  high  perfection.  It  is  a  strict  and  indis- 
pensable duty  prescribed  to  us  both  by  the  natural  and  by  the  divine 
law.  What  does  natural  law  or  simple  reason  teach  us?  That  we  are 
all  brethren,  all  made  of  the  same  clay,  all  the  children  of  the  same 
Father.  Should  we  not,  therefore,  have  compassion  for  the  miseries 
of  one  another?  And  if  any  one  were  to  remain  insensible  to  the 
sufferings  of  others,  would  he  not  prove  that  he  has  no  heart  and 
that  he  is  unworthy  of  the  quality  of  man?  What,  again,  does 
reason  tell  us?  That  we  must  do  to  others  as  we  wish  them  to  do 
to  us.  Who  is  the  one,  who,  being  in  need,  is  not  glad  when  an- 
other assists  him?  There  is  nothing  more  formal  in  Holy  Scrip- 
ture than  the  obligation  which  God  imposes  upon  us  to  give  alms. 
/  command  thee  to  open  thy  hand  to  the  needy,  says  God  in  the  book 
of  Deuteronomy  (xv.  11).  I  command  thee:  hence  it  is  not  a 
simple  counsel,  but  a  precept.  In  another  place  God  tells  us  that 
we  must  not  defraud  the  poor  of  alms  (Eccl.  iv.  i)  ;  as  if  charity 
were  a  sacred  debt  to  the  poor  which  we  cannot  deny  him  without 
committing  a  great  injustice.  The  sentence  which  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  shall  pronounce  on  the  day  of  judgment  is  especially  strik- 
ing. Addressing  first  those  at  His  right  hand.  He  will  say  to  them  : 
'*  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  possess  you  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world ;  for  I  was  hungry,  and  you 


J  88  THIRD   PART.      IV.   INSTRUCTION 

gave  me  to  eat;  I  was  thirsty,  and  you  gave  me  to  drink;  I  was  a 
stranger  and  you  took  me  in ;  naked,  and  you  covered  me ;  I  was 
in  prison,  and  you  came  to  see  me.^*  .  .  .  And  then  turning  to 
those  at  His  left  hand,  He  shall  say  to  them  :  ^*  Depart  from  me,  you 
cursed  .  .  .  for  I  was  hungry,  and  you  gave  me  not  to  eat;  I  was 
thirsty,  and  you  gave  me  not  to  drink ;  I  was  a  stranger,  and  you  took 
me  not  in  ;  naked,  and  you  covered  me  not ;  sick  and  in  prison,  and 
you  visited  me  not.'*  And  then  the  wicked  shall  answer:  ^*  Lord, 
when  did  we  see  Thee  hungry,  or  thirsty,  or  a  stranger,  or  naked,  or 
sick,  or  in  prison,  and  did  not  minister  to  Thee?**  And  the  sovereign 
judge  shall  answer  them:  Amen,  I  say  to  you,  as  long  as  you  did  it 
not  to  one  oj^  these  least  ones,  tieither  did  you  do  it  to  me  (Matt.  xxv. 

34-45)- 

After  such  words,  my  brethren,  can  one  still  have  any  doubt  of  the 

necessity  of  giving  alms,  since  it  is  principally  upon  charity  that  our 

Lord  makes  our  salvation  or  our  loss  depend? 

You  may  answer :  "  I  cannot  give  alms  because  my  property,  my 
narrow  circumstances,  do  not  permit  me.**  If  you  cannot  do  it,  un- 
doubtedly God  will  not  oblige  you  to  do  it.  But  is  this  not  very  often 
an  idle  pretext?  Do  you  not  find  money  for  your  vanities,  your  dress, 
or  even  for  saloons  and  theatres?  You  find  means  to  satisfy  your 
whims  and  all  your  sensualities;  why  should  you  not,  also,  find  the 
means  to  assist  those  who  are  dying  of  hunger  and  cold?  You  may 
answer  me  :  "  But  I  have  a  large  family,  and  I  would  not  like  to 
reduce  my  children  to  want.**  Do  not  be  afraid,  says  St.  Cyprian, 
for  if  God  takes  care  of  the  little  birds,  how  much  more  will  He  help 
those  who  help  Him  in  the  person  of  the  poor?  Remember,  also,  that 
experience  has  proved  that  after  an  avaricious  father  often  follow 
squandering  children.  Moreover,  if  you  have  children,  you  should 
give  them  the  example  of  giving  alms.  **  But,**  you  say,  *^  the  poor 
deceive  us  so  often  by  their  appearance.**  If  there  are  beggars  who 
are  not  poor,  must  those  who  are  really  poor  be  victims  of  the  lies  and 
deceits  of  others?  What  must  you  give  in  alms,  and  what  should  be 
the  measure  of  your  charity?  I  answer  to  you  in  the  words  of  Tobias 
to  his  son  :  "  If  you  have  little,  give  little ;  but  if  you  have  much,  give 
much.**  Do  not  deprive  yourselves  of  what  is  necessary,  but  in  what 
is  superfluous  give  as  much  as  you  can. 

2d.  Advantages . —  Do  not  believe  that  all  that  you  give  to  the  poor 
is  lost  to  you.     The  proverb  says  that  "  alms  do  not  make  poor.**    This 


ON   WORKS  OF   MERCY 


189 


was  even  acknowledged  by  pagan  philosophers,  and  especially  by  an 
Emperor,  a  sworn  enemy  of  Christianity,  Julian  the  Apostate,  who  said  : 
**  Show  me  a  man  who  has  become  poor  through  alms.  My  almsgiv- 
ing has  always  enriched  me,  in  spite  of  my  generosity."  And  how 
many  among  you,  perhaps,  could  say  the  same?  God  blesses  generous 
and  charitable  souls.  He  blesses  their  fields,  their  flocks,  as  He  formerly 
blessed  the  oil  and  flour  of  the  widow  of  Sarepta.  This  woman,  in  a 
time  of  famine,  had  only  a  handful  of  flour  and  a  little  oil  in  a  vessel. 
Nevertheless,  she  shared  it  with  the  prophet  Elias,  and  God,  touched 
by  her  charity,  miraculously  multiplied  the  oil  and  flour  in  such  a 
manner  that  it  did  not  diminish,  although  she  used  it  every  day  for 
herself  and  her  son.  Add  to  this  the  spiritual  advantages  which 
almsgiving  procures  us.  In  reward  for  her  alms,  a  pious  woman 
named  Tabitha,  mentioned  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  merited,  after 
her  death,  to  be  raised  to  life  again.  For  the  same  reason,  the  centu- 
rion Cornelius  was  the  first  Gentile  called  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
Gospel.  There  is  also  nothing  more  powerful  than  almsgiving  to 
merit  for  us  the  grace  of  conversion  and  salvation.  Hence  the  words 
of  Holy  Scripture,  that  alms  deliver  from  all  sin  (Tob.  iv.  ii)c  And 
do  you  count  as  nothing  the  consolations  which  almsgiving  procures 
to  us?  What  happiness  you  feel  when  you  have  relieved  some  unfor- 
tunate !  How  happy  the  rich  man  feels  when  he  is  blessed  and  loved 
by  the  poor  and  the  sick ! 

3d.  Conditions. —  I  need  not  insist  any  further  on  the  obligation 
and  advantages  of  almsgiving,  for  I  know  that  in  this  congregation 
the  poor  and  unfortunate  find  ready  help.  How  should  almsgiving 
be  practiced  in  order  to  be  meritorious?  My  brethren,  always  give 
alms  for  God  and  with  the  view  to  please  God.  See  Jesus  Christ  in 
the  person  of  the  poor,  for  God  rewards  only  what  one  does  for  Him- 
self and  out  of  love  for  Him.  Give  alms  without  ostentation  and 
without  seeking  to  be  seen;  otherwise  you  have  received  already 
your  reward  here  below  :  When  thou  dost  give  alms,  let  not  thy  left 
hand  know  "what  thy  right  hand  doth  (Matt.  vi.  3).  Give  alms  with- 
out murmuring,  for,  says  St.  Augustine,  when  you  help  unwillingly 
and  only  to  free  yourselves  from  the  importunities  of  the  poor,  you 
lose  both  your  alms  and  the  merit  you  could  have  had  in  giving  it. 
Give  alms  with  judgment,  that  is,  to  those  who  are  really  in  need;  do 
not  give  to  those  who,  by  labor  and  proper  economy,  could  easily 
furnish  themselves  what  they  need.     In  the  distribution  of  your  alms, 


190 


THIRD   PART.      V.    INSTRUCTION 


always  prefer  the  bashful  poor  to  beggars,  good  people  to  bad  people, 
natives  to  strangers,  and  relatives  and  neighbors  to  outsiders. 

May  God  grant  that  my  words  fall  upon  good  ground,  and  that 
the  divine  seed  may  bring  forth  its  fruit!     Amen. 


V.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Charity  —  Works  of  Mercy   {Concluded) 

If  the  corporal  works  of  mercy  are  very  meritorious,  then  the 
spiritual  works  of  mercy  are  indeed  much  more  meritorious,  as  the 
soul  is  far  more  precious  than  the  body,  and  spiritual  goods  infinitely 
more  precious  than  temporal  goods. 

The  spiritual  works  of  mercy  are  seven  in  number  :  ist.  To  instruct 
the  ignorant;  2d.  To  warn  the  sinners;  3d.  To  counsel  the  doubtful; 
4th.  To  comfort  the  sorrowful;  5th.  To  bear  wrong  patiently;  6th. 
To  forgive  injuries;  7th.   To  pray  for  the  living  and  the  dead. 

I  St.  The  Instruction  of  the  Ignorant. —  This  is  a  duty  especially  of 
parents  in  regard  to  their  children,  and  of  masters  in  regard  to  their 
domestics.  They  are  obliged  to  this  both  by  their  state  and  by 
charity.  They  would  sin  doubly  before  God,  if  they  did  not  fulfill 
this  duty.  Therefore,  they  are  bound  to  have  those  under  their  charge 
instructed  in  the  Christian  doctrine,  and  to  see  that  they  attend  the 
instructions  given  in  the  parish  church  or  Catholic  school.  What 
parents  and  masters  are  obliged  to  do  by  their  state  of  life,  all  Chris- 
tians should  do  by  charity.  Is  it  not,  indeed,  a  work  of  the  greatest 
charity  to  teach  the  poor  and  the  ignorant  to  know  God  and  to  serve 
Him?  He  who  fulfills  this  duty  well,  will  be  great  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  for  the  Gospel  tells  us:  He  that  shall  do  and  teach  shall  be 
great  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (Matt.  v.  19).  How  many  poor  and 
abandoned  children  there  are,  especially  in  cities,  who  cannot  fre- 
quent the  schools,  and  whose  parents  are  too  ignorant  to  teach  them 
anything!  If  somebody  did  not  perform  this  good  work,  what  would 
become  of  these  poor  children  ?     Who  would  teach  them  the  things 


ON    WORKS   OF    MERCY  ipj 

necessary  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls?  Hence  there  are  circum- 
stances and  particular  situations  where  one  is  strictly  bound  by  the 
great  law  of  charity  to  teach  and  explain  the  catechism  to  those  who 
are  ignorant  of  it. 

2d.  Correction  of  Sinners. —  The  wise  man  says  in  Ecclesiasticus  : 
And  He  gave  to  every  one  of  them  commandment  concerning  his  neigh- 
bor (Eccl.  xvir.  12).  The  Lord  has  commanded  each  one  of  us  to 
interest  himself  in  the  salvation  of  his  brethren.  Our  divine  Saviour 
gave  us  a  formal  commandment  when  He  said  :  If  thy  brother  shall 
offend  against  thee,  go  and  rebuke  him  between  thee  and  him.  alone. 
If  he  shall  hear  thee,  thou  shall  gain  thy  brother  (Matt,  xviii.  15). 
If  charity  obliges  us  to  relieve  the  corporal  miseries  of  our  neighbor, 
why  should  it  not  oblige  us  to  relieve  his  spiritual  miseries,  if  we  are 
able?  To  alleviate  the  temporal  miseries  of  one's  neighbor,  and 
remain  indifferent  to  his  spiritual  wants,  would  be  like  saving  a  man's 
furniture  from  the  fire,  but  letting  the  man  himself  burn  to  death. 
The  saints  were  always  zealous  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  St. 
Ignatius  of  Loyola  said  that,  even  if  he  had  one  foot  already  in 
heaven,  he  would  prefer  not  to  enter,  if  a  sinner  upon  earth  should 
present  himself  to  be  converted.  St.  Theresa  declared  that,  to  gain  a 
soul  for  God,  not  only  would  she  give  her  own  life,  but  would  even 
resign  herself  to  the  flames  of  Purgatory  until  the  end  of  the  world. 
**  What  folly!**  cries  out  St.  Bernard,  "an  animal  falls  down  and 
people  hasten  to  raise  it  up  again ;  a  soul  falls  into  the  mire  of  vice, 
and  no  one  moves  to  assist  it.  ** 

We  are  obliged,  under  pain  of  sin,  to  admonish  our  neighbor  of 
his  faults ;  and  a  neglect  of  this  duty  might  be  even  a  mortal  sin,  if  the 
fault  is  grievous,  and  if  we  think  that,  by  a  charitable  advice,  we  can 
hinder  the  sin. 

Who  are  more  especially  bound  to  the  precept  of  fraternal  correc- 
tion? They  are  the  pastors  in  regard  to  their  flocks,  parents  in 
regard  to  their  children,  teachers  in  regard  to  their  pupils,  and 
masters  in  regard  to  their  servants.  For  all  these  it  is  not  only  a  duty 
of  charity,  but  also  a  duty  of  their  state  of  life.  We  shall  speak  more 
at  length  of  this  in  the  fourth  commandment.  This  obligation,  how- 
ever, is  not  only  binding  on  superiors,  but  also  on  equals,  and  gener- 
ally on  every  one.  The  evil  to  be  hindered,  or  the  disorder  to  be 
corrected,  must  be  grievous  before  correction  is  attempted,  and  espe- 
cially it  must  be  certain  that  the  correction  will  produce  a  good  effect. 


ip2  THIRD   PART.      V.    INSTRUCTION 

Fraternal  correction  is  one  of  the  most  delicate  points  of  the  evan- 
gelical teaching.  Many  fail  in  this  duty,  either  because  they  do  not 
do  it  when  they  ought  to  do  it,  or  because  they  do  it  badly.  If  some 
one  copimits  a  fault  in  your  presence,  or  utters  indecent  or  impious 
words,  and  if  you  are  his  superior  in  age  or  position,  you  must  ad- 
monish and  reprove  him.  Even  if  you  were  only  his  equal,  you 
should  still  correct  him,  if  you  believe  that  your  advice  will  be  salu- 
tary. On  the  contrary,  if  the  person  is  older  than  you,  more  in- 
structed, of  a  more  elevated  rank,  and  you  are  sure  that  he  would 
laugh  at  your  remonstrance,  or  that  he  will  speak  or  act  the  w^orse, 
then  keep  quiet;  but  do  not  countenance  his  conduct  or  language  by 
your  presence.  Leave  his  company  if  you  can  conveniently  do  so. 
If  you  cannot,  then  show  by  your  cold  and  serious  behavior  the  pain 
you  feel  at  his  conduct. 

But  you  must  correct  sinners  with  prudence  and  discretion;  for, 
says  St.  Gregory,  the  same  admonition  does  not  suit  every  class  of 
persons.  Therefore,  suit  your  correction  to  the  time,  the  place,  the 
age  of  the  person,  his  character,  and  to  all  the  different  circum- 
stances. Admonish  children  differently  from  older  people;  the  poor 
differently  from  the  rich.  In  some  cases  one  word  said  opportunely 
will  be  sufficient,  whilst  in  others,  severe  lectures  and  rebukes  are 
required.  Again,  the  correction  should  be  made  privately,  in  order 
to  spare  confusion  to  the  guilty.  Public  rebukes  seldom  do  good, 
except  when  private  admonitions  would  be  useless  and  when  it  is 
necessary  to  counteract  and  repair  public  scandal.  Lastly,  correc- 
tion must  be  made  with  kindness.  Harshness  and  bitter  words  serve 
merely  to  exasperate  the  guilty.  However,  this  kindness  must  not 
exclude  firmness.  Our  Saviour  gave  us  an  example  of  firmness, 
when,  with  the  whip  in  hand,  he  drove  out  the  merchants  and  money- 
changers who  profaned  the  temple. 

Correction  must  be  received  with  docility,  with  humility,  and  with 
gratitude.  If  you  had  on  your  face  a  spot  which  rendered  you  hid- 
eous or  ridiculous,  would  you  not  be  glad  if  some  one  drew  your  atten- 
tion to  it?  Why,  therefore,  do  you  become  angry  when  attention  is 
drawn  to  the  spots  on  your  soul?  The  best  friend  we  can  have  in  this 
world  is  the  one  who  admonishes  us  unsparingly  of  our  faults.  St. 
Gregory  the  Great  did  not  acknowledge  any  other  kind  of  friend;  and 
St.  Louis,  a  bishop  of  Toulouse,  in  France,  used  to  have  religious 
accompany  him  everywhere  to  reprove  him  for  his  faults. 


ON   WORKS  OF   MERCY 


193 


The  third  work  of  mercy  is  to  counsel  the  doubtful.  The  fourth  to 
comfort  the  sorrowful.  Everybody  can  easily  understand  these,  and 
they  need  no  explanation. 

The  fifth  work  of  mercy  is  to  bear  ivith  patience  the  injuries 
and  faults  of  others  or  of  our  neighbor.  Our  neighbor  may  have 
faults  of  mind,  of  heart,  or  of  body,  defects  of  memory  and  intelli- 
gence, vices  and  evil  habits,  a  difficult  character,  or  an  irritable  temper. 
Indeed,  we  have  much  to  suffer  from  the  part  of  persons  with  whom 
we  are  obliged  to  live.  It  may  be  a  husband  who  dissipates  in  foolish 
expenses  the  little  he  gains,  whilst,  at  home,  his  wife  and  little  children 
are  suffering  with  hunger  ;  a  negligent  and  lazy  wife,  who  does  not 
take  care  of  her  household ;  a  disobedient  and  intemperate  son ;  a  vain 
and  worldly  daughter,  who  listens  to  nobody,  and  laughs  at  the  ad- 
vices and  counsels  of  her  parents  ;  a  cross  mother-in-law  ;  a  proud  and 
haughty  daughter-in-law,  who  has  no  regard  for  the  age  or  infirmities 
of  her  aged  parents ;  a  neighbor  who  cannot  bear  the  least  word  and 
is  always  disposed  to  complain,  to  criticize,  and  to  blame. 

We  must  be  patient  with  them  all.  We  must  bear  with  the  faults 
of  others  as  we  wish  that  others  should  bear  with  us.  St.  Paul 
says:  Bear  ye  one  another''  s  burden  (Gal.  vi.  2).  Our  reason  tells  us, 
that  being  all  members  of  one  and  the  same  body,  we  must  have  com- 
passion upon  the  miseries  and  infirmities  of  one  another.  Do  not  say 
that  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  bear  patiently  with  such  a  fault  or 
such  a  person;  with  God's  grace  you  can  do  it  if  you  wish  ;  you  only 
need  to  ask  for  patience.  Moreover,  we  are  obliged  to  suffer  the 
faults  of  those  persons  that  surround  us,  whether  we  will  or  not ;  only  if 
you  suffer  them  with  patience,  you  can  lay  up  treasures  of  merit  for 
heaven  ;  whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  you  offend  God  by  giving  your- 
selves up  to  impatience  and  anger ;  you  destroy  peace  and  union  in 
the  family,  which  is  the  most  solid  and  true  happiness  of  life.  .  A 
pious  lady  had,  out  of  charity,  given  shelter  to  a  poor  w^oman  who 
had  an  unbearable  temper.  Tired  of  her  faults,  she  was  one  day  on 
the  point  of  sending  her  away,  but  she  went  first  to  consult  St.  An- 
thony. Do  not  do  it,  said  the  Saint  to  her,  for  you  would  lose  there- 
by all  the  merit  which,  through  your  patience  and  charity,  she  caused 
you  to  gain.  What  a  happy  change  would  take  place  in  your  house- 
holds, if  everyone  would  bear  with  the  faults  of  his  neighbor ;  if  the 
mother  of  the  family  would  be  kind  and  patient  towards  her  husband, 
and  the  husband  more  reasonable  and  more  indulgent  towards  his 
13 


194 


THIRD   PART.      VI.    INSTRUCTION 


wife ;  if  the  children  would  always  show  themselves  obedient  and 
respectful  tow^ards  their  parents ;  if  servants  would  love  their  masters 
and  forget  little  wrongs,  and  if  masters,  in  their  turn,  had  patience 
with  their  servants!  The  family  ties  and  neighborly  relations  which 
should  form  the  charm  of  life,  are,  on  the  contrary,  often  only  the 
sources  of  torment  and  unhappiness,  and  the  fountain  of  misery  and 
sadness. 

The  sixth  work  of  mercy  is  to  forgive  offenses.  We  have  spoken 
of  this  at  length  in  another  place.  As  regards  the  last,  it  is  sufficient 
for  me  to  recall  it  to  your  mind  :  To  pray  for  the  living  and  the  dead. 
Such  are,  therefore,  my  brethren,  the  spiritual  and  corporal  works  of 
mercy.  I  pray  to  God  to  give  you  the  grace  to  put  them  in  practice. 
Charity,  as  we  have  said,  in  commencing  the  series  of  instructions, 
is  the  first  and  greatest  of  all  virtues;  charity  is  the  whole  Gospel. 
Practice  charity  towards  God  and  towards  your  neighbor,  and  you 
will  fulfill  all  the  obligations  of  a  true  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ,  your 
life  will  be  found  full  of  good  works,  and  you  will  receive  in  heaven 
a  reward  without  end.      Amen. 


VI.     INSTRUCTION 
On    Mortal    Sin 

Sin  is  any  thought,  word,  action,  or  omission  contrary  to  the  com- 
mandments of  God  or  of  the  Church. 

You  sin  every  time  you  perform  a  forbidden  action  or  hold  for- 
bidden discourses,  every  time  you  omit  duties  prescribed  by  the  com- 
mandments, or  entertain  thoughts  or  desires  contrary  to  the  law  of 
God.  It  is,  therefore,  not  only  by  action  or  omission  we  may  sin,  but 
also  by  thoughts  and  desires. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  sin  :  Original  sin,  which  we  all  have  in- 
herited from  Adam,  our  first  father,  and  actual  sin,  which  we  commit 
of  our  own   free   will.    . 

Actual  sin  is  of  two  kinds:   mortal  sin  and  venial  sin. 

Mortal  sin  deprives  the  soul  of  its  life,  by  causing  it  to  lose  God's 
grace  which  is  its  true  life.     In  the  soul  there  are  two  kinds  of  life. 


ON   MORTAL   SIN 


195 


natural  life  and  the  life  of  grace,  which  is  God's  friendship.  Our 
soul  cannot  lose  natural  life,  because  it  is  immortal,  but  it  can  lose  the 
life  of  grace,  if  it  has  the  misfortune  to  fall  into  mortal  sin. 

Let  us  now  try  to  understand  the  ugliness  of  mortal  sin  and  the 
horror  we  should  have  for  it.  Few  persons  seem  to  be  sufficiently  in- 
structed in  this  matter,  or,  rather,  few  seem  to  appreciate  the  enormity 
of  sin.  To  have  some  idea  of  the  enormity  of  mortal  sin,  you  only 
need  to  consider  it  as  the  greatest  evil  in  the  eyes  of  God,  and  as  the 
greatest  evil  that  can  befall  man. 

I.  Sin  is  the  greatest  evil  in  the  eyes  of  God ;  because  it  contains 
in  itself  a  threefold  malice  of  impiety,  of  revolt,  and  of  the  blackest 
ingratitude. 

I  St.  The  degree  of  an  injury  is  measured  by  the  condition  of  the 
one  who  offends,  and  by  the  dignity  of  the  one  who  is  offended.  What 
would  be  only  a  slight  failing  against  a  simple  individual  may  become 
a  capital  crime  in  regard  to  a  king  or  an  emperor.  Now,  who  is  the 
God  that  is  outraged  by  the  sin  of  man,  and  what  is  man  who  outrages 
God  by  sin  ?  Our  mind  loses  itself,  our  imagination  becomes  confused 
in  contemplating  the  immense  interval  that  separates  God  from  man. 
God,  the  Creator  and  Master  of  all,  before  whom  all  that  exists  is  as  if 
it  did  not  exist ;  and  man,  weak  and  frail  creature,  formed  out  of  the 
slime  of  the  earth  and  whom  one  breath  of  God  can  destroy !  God, 
the  eternal  and  unchangeable  Being,  who  fills  heaven  and  earth  with 
His  majesty,  who  created  all  things  by  a  single  word  and  who  could 
annihilate  everything  by  a  single  word  in  the  same  manner ;  and  man, 
who  is  only  of  yesterday,  who  will  no  longer  be  by  to-morrow,  and 
who  hardly  occupies  a  perceptible  place  in  space !  God,  infinite  in 
holiness  and  in  all  perfections ;  and  man  who  is  nothing  else  but  an 
abyss  of  corruption  and  miseries.  And  man,  that  pitiful  creature,  that 
atom  and  nothing,  dares  to  outrage  his  God,  to  insult  His  infinite  maj- 
esty, not  through  ignorance  or  weakness,  but  through  malice,  with 
deliberate  purpose  and  out  of  mere  wantonness,  not  once,  but  thousands 
and  thousands  of  times,  even  though  he  knows  that  this  same  God 
whom  he  offends  is  present  everywhere  and  is  the  invisible  witness  of 
his  actions,  even  the  most  secret.  And  why  does  he  thus  outrage 
God,  the  source  of  all  good  —  goodness  itself?  For  some  frivolous  in- 
terest or  for  the  pleasure  of  a  moment!  Can  one  imagine  greater  malice 
and  more  shameful  impiety? 

2d.   I  have  added  that  sin  is  a  rebellion  against  God. 


196 


THIRD   PART.      VI.    INSTRUCTION 


Everything  in  nature  claims  the  obedience  which  we  owe  to  the 
Creator.  From  the  beginning  of  the  world  God  spoke,  and  the  uni- 
verse came  forth  from  nothing.  He  called  the  stars,  and  the  stars  took 
their  place  in  rank  like  an  army  in  battle  array.  He  spoke  to  the  sea: 
"Thus  far  shalt  thou  go  and  no  farther  '^ ;  and  the  sea,  always  respect- 
ful and  obedient,  breaks  its  pride  against  a  bulwark  of  sand.  He 
commanded  the  earth  to  cover  itself  with  flowers  and  fruits ;  and  the 
earth,  that  fruitful  mother,  is  to  this  day  inexhaustible  in  its  bounty, 
and  its  bosom  is  still  filled  with  the  richest  treasures. 

In  the  midst  of  this  unanimous  concert  of  homage  and  praise,  what 
does  man  do,  man  the  only  reasonable  creature,  man  the  only  one 
capable  of  knowing  and  loving  his  Creator?  From  the  height  of 
Sinai,  God  gives  man  ten  commandments,  and  says  to  him  :  Thou 
shalt  adore  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  thou  shalt  serve  him  alone.  Thou 
shalt  not  take  my  name  in  vain,  and  thou  shalt  not  profane  it  through 
impiety  and  blasphemy .  Remember  thou  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day. 
Thou  shalt  respect  the  life,  the  honor,  and  the  goods  of  thy  neighbor. 
Thou  shalt  not  commit  fornication  nor  uncleanliness .  And  what  does 
man  answer?  He  answers,  if  not  in  words  at  least  in  act,  that  he  will 
not  acknowledge  the  authority  of  his  Creator,  and  that  he  does  not 
want  to  be  subject  to  Him,  that  he  intends  to  obey  only  his  passions, 
and  be  the  slave  of  his  caprices.  But,  says  the  Lord  :  Am  I  not  thy 
God  and  thy  Master?  No!  answers  the  sinner,  the  God  I  adore  is  avar- 
ice, licentiousness,  the  goods  and  pleasures  of  this  world,  and  I  do  not 
acknowledge  any  other  master.  I  shall  not  serve  thee  (Jer.  11.  20). 
But  beware,  sinner,  and  remember  that  by  revolting  thus  against  thy 
God  and  Creator,  thou  wilt  provoke  His  wrath  and  expose  thyself  to 
all  kinds  of  evil.  No  matter  :  I  wish  to  enjoy  life,  I  wish  to  content 
and  satisfy  my  passions ;  actual  happiness  is  all  that  I  want ;  I  do 
not  care  about  the  rest.     I  shall  not  serve  thee. 

What  audacity,  what  temerity,  what  folly!  Imagine  a  little  worm 
that  revolts  against  the  foot  that  is  going  to  crush  it;  or  represent  to 
yourselves  a  man  suspended  on  the  brink  of  an  abyss,  and  who  seeks 
to  repel  the  hand  that  tries  to  save  him.  Oh,  sinner,  wilt  thou  com- 
mence to  understand  the  blindness  and  perversity  of  thy  conduct? 

3d.  What  completes  the  enormity  of  sin  is  its  character  of  ingrat- 
itude.    Listen  to  a  parable  which  gives  us  an  idea  of  this :  — 

A  man  of  very  low  station  was  condemned  to  death  for  the  crime 
of  high  treason.      Already  the  instrument  of  execution  was  ready  and 


ON   MORTAL   SIN  l^y 

soon  the  fatal  hour  was  to  strike.  The  son  of  the  king  appears  before 
his  august  father  and  asks  pardon  for  the  condemned  man.  The 
father,  although  a  merciful  man,  answers  that  justice  must  be  done, 
and  that  the  good  of  society  demands  that  the  crime  should  not  remain 
unpunished.  "But,*^  answers  the  son,  "if  there  must  be  a  victim,  I 
myself  shall  die  instead  of  the  guilty  man.  Let  his  life  be  pardoned 
rather  than  mine.**  The  father  consents  to  the  sacrifice,  although  the 
victim  is  his  only  son,  the  object  of  all  his  love.  The  prince  hastens 
to  the  place  of  execution,  and  he  finds  the  criminal  already  bound 
hand  and  foot  on  the  scaffold.  The  hangman  is  ready  to  spring  the 
fatal  trap  :  "  Stop,®  the  prince  cries  out,  "  it  is  not  he  but  I  that  must 
die."  .  .  .  You  expect  the  criminal  to  throw  himself  at  the  feet  of 
his  benefactor,  and  protest  that  he  will  not  permit  the  innocent  to  die 
for  the  guilty.  But  no,  the  monster  helps  to  bind  the  king's  son, 
hands  and  feet,  places  him  on  the  fatal  trap  and  helps  to  execute  him! 

You  shudder,  you  are  seized  with  indignation.  Turn  this  indigna- 
tion against  yourselves,  for  it  is  you,  it  is  your  sins  which  crucified, 
not  a  prince  of  the  earth,  but  the  Son  of  God  who  came  to  give  you 
life.  It  is  your  sins  that  nailed  Him  to  the  cross  and  made  Him  spill 
the  last  drop  of  His  blood.  And  you  have  renewed  this  execution 
every  time  you  committed  a  mortal  sin.  You  have  trampled  under 
foot  the  sacred  blood  He  shed  for  you.  "Ah!**  said  St.  Mary  Magda- 
len, of  Pazzi,  on  her  deathbed,  "  I  must  leave  this  world  without  hav- 
ing been  able  to  understand  a  frightful  mystery,  without  understand- 
ing how  any  one  can  commit  sin  which  cost  the  blood  of  God !  **  Do 
you  understand,  my  brethren,  how  a  Christian  who  has  faith  and 
reason  can  carry  his  ingratitude  and  malice  to  the  point  of  crucifying 
anew  this  adorable  Saviour  who  became  flesh  for  us,  who  humbled 
Himself  for  us,  who  gave  Himself  up  to  death  out  of  love  for  us  .'* 

The  outrage  which  sin  causes  God  is  infinite,  and  'we  may  well 
pity  the  one  who  is  not  seized  with  horror  for  such  a  frightful  evil, 
the  sovereign  evil,  the  greatest  of  all  evils,  or  rather  the  only  evil  in 
the  world.  What  should  also  contribute  to  make  us  detest  sin,  is  the 
wrong  which  it  causes  to  ourselves. 

II.  I  will  not  insist  on  the  physical  evils  which  sin  draws  down 
Upon  us  already  in  this  life.  You  all  know  that  it  was  sin  which,  from 
the  beginning,  introduced  into  this  world  death,  illness,  and  all  the 
miseries  that  inflict  us.  When  all  mankind,  with  the  exception  of 
Noah  and  his  family,  were  engulfed  in  the  waters  of  the  Deluge,  when 


198 


THIRD   PART.      VI.    INSTRUCTION 


the  infamous  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha  were  consumed  by  a  rain 
of  fire  and  brimstone ;  when  war,  pestilence,  famine,  and  so  many 
other  plagues  of  divine  wrath  ravaged  the  earth,  it  was  always  sin 
that  was  the  cause.  But  all  these  temporal  evils  are  as  nothing  in 
comparison   with  the  evil   which  sin  causes  to  the  soul. 

What  was  the  state  of  our  soul  before  committing  sin?  Clothed 
with  the  garment  of  innocence,  it  was  white  as  snow,  brilliant  as  the 
sun  ;  but  once  it  was  soiled  by  sin  it  lost  all  its  beauty  and  became  an 
object  of  horror.  Before  sin,  it  enjoyed  the  sweet  friendship  of  its 
God,  who  was  pleased  to  dwell  in  it  and  overwhelm  it  with  favors; 
but  since  it*  sin,  it  is  an  object  of  hatred  and  execration  in  the  eyes  of 
God.  God  withdrew  Himself  from  the  soul ;  the  devil  replaced  Him, 
and  reigns  as  master,  and  holds  it  as  his  captive,  as  his  slave. 

Not  only  does  sin  degrade  the  soul  and  make  of  it  a  hideous  corpse, 
whose  sight  we  could  not  bear,  but  it  robs  the  soul  of  all  the  goods 
which  it  had  acquired,  and  despoils  it  of  all  its  merits.  By  prayers, 
mortifications,  and  good  works,  the  soul  had  woven  around  its  brow 
a  magnificent  crown  for  a  happy  eternity ;  heaven  with  all  its  joys 
and  with  all  its  delights  was  to  be  its  reward ;  but  from  the  moment  it 
had  the  misfortune  to  fall  into  mortal  sin,  it  lost  all  its  rights  to  the 
celestial  inheritance,  and  if  it  happened  to  die  in  this  sad  state,  it  would 
receive  no  reward  for  its  virtues  and  merits.  Yes,  my  brethren,  even 
if  the  soul  had  led  a  penitential  life  as  austere  as  that  of  the  anchorites 
in  the  deserts,  as  humble  and  chaste  as  that  of  virgins  in  the  cloisters,N 
if  it  should  fall  into  mortal  sin  before  its  last  breath,  all  would  be  lost 
and  lost  forever!  Think  of  a  traveler,  loaded  with  riches,  who  has 
come  from  a  distant  country,  and  succeeded  in  crossing  the  seas,  being 
ship^vrecked  just  as  he  enters  the  harbor!  Think  of  a  farmer  who,  on 
account  of  a  violent  storm,  has  the  misfortune  to  lose  his  whole  har- 
vest on  the  very 'day  he  is  going  to  reap  it!  Such  is  the  lot  of  the 
sinner  who,  after  long  years  of  virtues  and  merits,  commits  a  mortal 
sin  and  dies  in  this  deplorable  state!  It  is  true,  if  he  does  penance, 
all  his  merits  will  be  restored  to  him  ;  but  if  he  does  not  repent,  all  is 
lost  forever.  Oh,  the  frightful  ravages  of  sin  in  a  soul!  Oh,  the 
blindness  and  the  insensibility  of  the  sinner! 

Nor  is  this  all.  .Not  only  does  sin  rob  the  soul  of  its  merits,  but 
makes  it  impossible  to  acquire  new  ones.  The  state  of  sin  is  a  state 
of  death,  and  in  a  state  of  death  no  one  can  perform  any  acts  of  life. 
By  sin  you  break  your  union  with  Jesus  Christ,  you  are  cut  off  from 


ON   MORTAL   SIN  ,po 

the  stem  and  become  similar  to  branches  which  are  separated  from  the 
stem  and  can  bear  fruit  no  longer.  Are,  then,  the  prayers  and  good 
works  of  the  sinner  void  in  the  eyes  of  God?  No,  God  forbid;  but 
as  long  as  one  is  in  sin,  one  can  do  nothing  meritorious  for  heaven. 
Thus,  whilst  a  glass  of  water  given  to  a  poor  man  can  obtain  for  you 
an  eternal  happiness,  if  you  do  this  trifling  action  in  the  state  of 
grace,  on  the  contrary,  all  the  fasts,  and  all  the  alms,  and  all  the 
prayers  you  may  do,  avail  nothing  if  they  are  performed  in  the  state 
of  mortal  sin. 

For  the  soul  which  has  the  misfortune  to  fall  into  mortal  sin,  all  is 
not  limited,  alas!  to  the  loss  of  an  eternity  of  happiness.  By  losing 
heaven,  you  deserve  hell;  if  you  die  in  the  state  of  mortal  sin,  even 
though  you  had  committed  only  one  mortal  sin,  you  are  lost  forever; 
forever  deprived  of  the  sight  of  God  and  His  glory,  forever  con- 
signed to  avenging  fire,  to  rage  and  despair,  in  the  horrible  sojourn  of 
the  damned! 

Do  you  think  of  this,  my  brethren,  when  you  give  yourselves  up 
to  sin.''  For  a  moment  of  pleasure,  for  a  mere  nothing,  you  expose 
yourselves  to  lose  an  eternity  of  unspeakable  happiness  and  to  fall 
into  an  eternity  of  misfortune!  Ah!  how  different  was  the  conduct 
of  the  saints !  Consider  the  martyrs  in  the  midst  of  their  torments, 
the  anchorites  in  the  depths  of  deserts,  the  virgins  in  the  cloisters ! 
Why  did  they  sacrifice  their  liberty,  the  honors  and  pleasures  of  the 
world?  Why  did  they  sacrifice  their  very  life,  if  it  were  not  to  avoid 
sin  and  the  danger -of  committing  it?  Great  threats  were  once  made 
against  St.  John  Chrysostom,  because  he  refused  to  grant  the  Em- 
press Eudoxia  what  she  demanded  :  **  Go,**  he  answered  to  the  cour- 
tiers, '*  tell  the  Empress  that  John  is  afraid  of  only  one  thing,  sin.** 
**  My  son,**  Queen  Blanche  used  to  say  to  her  child,  who  was  to  become 
the  great  King  St.  Louis,  **  thou  knowest  how  much  I  love  thee,  and, 
nevertheless,  I  would  prefer  to  see  thee  dead  at  my  feet,  rather  than 
to  know  thee  guilty  of  one  mortal  sin.**  St.  Edward,  St.  Anselm," 
and  St.  Catharine  of  Genoa  said  that  if  they  were  in  a  sea  of  molten 
lead  and  could  leave  it  only  under  the  condition  of  committing  a 
mortal  sin,  they  would  prefer  to  remain  in  it  than  to  be  delivered 
from  it  at  this  price. 

After  the  example  of  the  saints,  my  brethren,  flee  from  sin  as  the 
greatest  evil  in  the  world,  and  be  ready  to  sacrifice  everything,  even 
life  itself,  rather  than  ever  commit  one  mortal  sin.     Amen. 


200  THIRD   PART.      VII.    INSTRUCTION 

VII.  INSTRUCTION 
On  Venial  Sin 

Venial  sin  is  a  sin  which  does  not  cause  death  to  the  soul,  but 
■which  lessens  charity  and  disposes  the  soul  to  mortal  sin. 

The  word  venial  (from  the  Latin  venia^  pardon)  signifies  pardon- 
able. This  sin  is  so  called,  either  because  God  pardons  it  more  easily 
than  mortal  sin,  or  because  he  has  given  us  a  greater  number  of  means 
to  purify  ourselves  from  it,  such  as  confession,  even  without  absolu- 
tion, holy  communion,  alms,  holy  water,  etc. 

It  is  not  easy  in  many  cases,  as  the  most  learned  theologians  teach, 
to  distinguish  venial  sin  from  mortal  sin.  The  only  rule  is,  that  for 
mortal  sin,  two  conditions  are  needed  :  Grievousness  of  matter  and 
perfect  consent.  The  matter  is  grievous  when  the  sin  is  a  serious 
offense  against  God,  against  our  neighbor,  or  against  ourselves ;  and 
the  consent  is  perfect,  if  the  evil  is  done  with  full  and  entire  reflec- 
tion. If  one  of  these  two  conditions  is  wanting,  the  sin  is  regarded 
only  as  venial.  Venial  sin,  however,  may  become  mortal  through  a 
false  conscience,  an  evil  intention,  or  on  account  of  the  scandal  that 
follows.  If  some  one  were  to  commit  a  venial  sin  with  full  delibera- 
tion, thinking  it  were  a  mortal  sin  ;  or  in  stealing  a  small  piece  of 
money,  he  had  the  intention  of  stealing  a  much  larger  one;  or  if  by 
loose  words  or  actions,  even  though  not  obscene  enough  to  constitute 
a  grievous  matter,  one  should  scandalize  his  neighbor  —  in  each  case 
the  sin,  though  seemingly  venial,  would  become  mortal. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  venial  sins  :  venial  sins  of  weakness,  which 
are  committed  through  ignorance  or  inadvertence,  and  venial  sins 
committed  with  deliberate  intention,  through  negligence,  malice,  or 
through  the  effect  of  a  bad  habit. 

As  to  the  venial  sins  of  weakness,  we  should  try  to  avoid  them ; 
but  as  they  are  inseparable  from  human  frailty,  we  must  not  expect 
to  be  free  of  them  altogether:  A  just  man  falls  seven  times  (a  day) 
(Prov.  XXIV.  i6),  says  the  Holy  Ghost.  Only  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary,  by  a  special  privilege,  was  exempt  from  even  the  least  venial 
sin. 

But  venial  sins  committed  with  full  deliberation  are  not  so  pardon- 
able, for  we  can  easily  avoid  them  with  God's  grace.  Generally 
speaking,   we  are  far  from   having  for  deliberate  venial  sin  all  the 


ON    VENIAL   SIN  20I 

horror  it  merits.  To  convince  ourselves  of  this,  let  us  consider  venial, 
sin  in  regard  to  the  injury  it  does  to  God,  and  in  regard  to  the  evil  it 
causes  to  the  soul  that  commits  it. 

I.  God  is  our  father  and  friend,  the  best  of  friends  and  the  most 
tender  of  fathers.  Under  this  title  He  has  a  right  to  our  obedience 
and  our  love. 

In  His  quality  of  father,  He  imposes  laws  upon  us.  Can  we  refuse 
to  obey  them  ?  Although  He  does  not  require  their  fulfillment  under 
pain  of  incurring  eternal  punishment,  is  it  not  always  an  injury  we 
commit  against  Him  in  refusing  to  obey  His  laws?  What  would  you 
say  of  a  child  that  would  be  content  to  obey  his  father  only  when  the 
father  threatens  him  with  exclusion  from  home,  or  with  the  privation 
of  his  inheritance?  You  would  say  that  such  a  child  has  an  evil 
heart,  that  he  has  neither  love  nor  respect  for  his  father,  and  that  cer- 
tainly he  merits  the  most  severe  reproaches  and  punishments.  It  is 
the  same  with  us,  my  brethren,  if  we  do  not  scruple  to  commit  venial 
faults.  We  offend  God  who  is  our  Heavenly  Father,  we  afflict  His 
heart,  and  expose  ourselves  to  His  wrath. 

But  God  is  not  only  our  Father,  He  is  also  our  friend,  and  the  best 
of  all  friends.  He  gives  us  striking  proofs  of  this  by  the  numberless 
favors  and  graces  with  which  He  overwhelms  us  every  day.  What 
pain,  therefore,  must  we  not  cause  Him  if,  instead  of  rendering  Him 
love  for  love,  we  show  Him  coldness  and  indifference,  and  when  we 
do  not  scruple  in  the  least  to  displease  and  offend  Him. 

Nothing  can  give  us  a  better  idea  of  the  injury  which  venial  sin  causes 
to  God  than  the  manner  in  which  He  has  punished  it  in  certain  cir- 
cumstances. Moses,  the  friend  and  the  intimate  confidant  of  God,  was 
forbidden  to  enter  the  Promised  Land,  on  account  of  a  slight  mistrust 
of  God.  Oza  touched  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  to  prevent  it  from  fall- 
ing, and  was  struck  with  instant  death  ;  fifty  thousand  Bethsamites 
lost  their  lives  because  they  had  looked  irreverently  on  the  Ark  of  the 
Covenant ;  David  beheld  his  kingdom  afflicted  with  cruel  pestilence 
because  through  vanity  he  had  ordered  a  census  of  his  subjects;  Ana- 
nias and  Saphira  fell  dead  at  the  feet  of  the  apostles  for  having  told 
them  a  lie. 

These  are  frightful  examples  of  divine  justice,  but  they  are  not 
astonishing  if  we  compare  them  with  the  penalty  which  God  reserves, 
in  the  future  life,  for  venial  faults.  Nothing  defiled  can  enter  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.     If  you  die  before  having  satisfied  for  venial  sins. 


202  THIRD   PART,      VII.    INSTRUCTION 

you  will  have  to  expiate  them  in  the  flames  of  purgatory.  And  what 
are  all  the  evils  of  this  world,  what  are  all  the  most  frightful  diseases, 
what  are  all  the  most  violent  torments,  compared  with  the  pains  of 
purgatory  ? 

Will  you,  then,  maintain  that  venial  faults  are  trifling  things? 
Will  you  say  that  lies,  petty  vanities,  anger,  slight  distractions,  negli- 
gence in  prayer,  small  injustices,  irreverence  in  church,  light  words, 
slight  infractions  of  the  law  of  fast  and  abstinence,  and  other  similar 
failings,  amount  to  nothing?  Ah,  my  brethren,  this  is  not  the  teach- 
ing of  the  Doctors  of  the  Church,  who  believe  that  after  mortal  sin 
there  is  no  greater  evil  upon  earth  than  venial  sin,  and  that  it  is  never 
permitted  to  commit  a  venial  sin,  even  to  preserve  honor  and  life. 
They  go  still  further  and  declare  that  even  if  by  one  single  venial  sin, 
the  fire  of  hell  could  be  extinguished,  and  all  the  damned  souls  brought 
to  heaven,  one  would  not  be  permitted  to  commit  it.  The  reason  is, 
because  it  is  never  permitted  to  do  evil  that  good  may  result,  and  sin, 
however  small  it  may  be,  attacks  God,  and  is  opposed  to  His  adorable 
perfections,  and,  however  slight  it  may  be,  it  robs  Him  of  more  glory 
than  all  our  virtues  and  all  our  merits  can  procure  from  Him.  Hence 
that  horror  which  the  saints  always  had  for  wilful  venial  sin.  •  It  is 
related  of  Maria  Theresa,  Queen  of  France  and  wife  of  Louis  XIV., 
that  having  fallen  into  a  sin  for  which  she  reproached  herself  most 
bitterly,  her  attendants  wished  to  quiet  her  by  saying  that  it  was  only 
a  venial  fault :  **  No  matter,*  she  answered,  sobbing,  "  God  is  offended, 
and  it  is  mortal  for  my  heart.* 

II.  Let  us  consider  it  in  regard  to  the  evil  which  it  causes  to  the 
soul  that  commits  it.  The  effect  of  habitual  venial  sin  upon  the  soul 
is  a  state  of  lukewarmness  and  the  disposition  to  mortal  sin. 

First,  the  state  of  lukewarmness.  If  a  friend  treat  his  friend  with 
coldness  and  criticize  him,  laugh  at  him  and  mock  him,  surely  his 
friend  will  begin  to  avoid  and  gradually  break  off  all  relations  with 
him.  Such  is  the  conduct  of  God  in  our  regard.  When  He  sees  that 
we  limit  ourselves  to  the  essential  duties,  and  that  we  trouble  our- 
selves little  about  the  others,  that  we  have  for  Him  no  longer  that 
tender  and  generous  love  which  made  us  so  agreeable  in  His  eyes, 
that  we  consider  it  as  a  trifle  to  displease  Him,  when  we  offend  Him, 
and  under  the  most  frivolous  pretexts,  then  He  separates  Himself  also 
from  us,  He  withdraws  from  us  a  part  of  His  graces,  He  diminishes 
His  favors,  and  abandons  us,  to  a  certain  extent,  to  our  weakness  and 


ON    VENIAL   SIN  203 

frailty.  Now,  what  can  such  a  soul  do  abandoned  by  God  and  de- 
prived of  those  graces  which  until  now  had  assured  its  perseverance? 
Like  a  plant  which  a  negligent  gardener  fails  to  water,  the  soul  soon 
falls  into  languor  and  dryness,  it  looses  the  taste  for  piety,  it  abandons 
prayer,  it  practices  no  longer  that  recollection,  that  flight  from  the 
world,  that  vigilance,  that  mortification  so  necessary  to  make  progress 
in  the  ways  of  God,  and  ends  by  falling  into  the  most  deplorable  luke- 
warmness.  Indeed,  lukewarm  souls  that  listen  to  me,  since  when  did 
you  begin  to  abandon  frequent  confession  and  communion?  Since 
when  have  you  that  disgust  of  prayer,  that  dissipation  and  worldliness 
that  marks  your  whole  exterior?  It  is  since  the  time  the  spirit  of 
God  separated  itself  from  you  after  you  had  separated  yourselves  from 
Him  ;  it  is  since  the  unfortunate  habit  of  committing  venial  sins. 

The  evil  which  venial  sin  causes  does  not  stop  here,  and  from  the 
state  of  lukewarmness  into  which  it  has  plunged  the  soul  it  is  seldom 
that  it  does  not  drive  it  into  mortal  sin.  "  One  does  not  become  wicked 
all  at  once,'*  says  St.  Bernard;  "great  vices  have  their  beginnings  as 
well  as  great  virtues."  But  by  becoming  familiarized  with  evil,  one 
ends  by  giving  oneself  up  to  it  without  remorse  and  without  scruple  ; 
according  to  the  measure  one  satisfies  his  appetite,  the  appetite  in- 
creases, and  the  soul  thus  dragged  slowly  towards  the  abyss,  finally 
hurls  itself  into  it,  and  often  even  without  the  least  suspicion. 

The  devil  on  his  part  is  very  careful  not  to  tempt  us  at  first  to 
great  sins.  He  insinuates  himself  into  us  little  by  little ;  he  com- 
mences by  persuading  us  that  it  is  quite  a  small  matter  to  miss  a 
prayer,  to  tell  a  lie,  to  entertain  certain  intimacies  with  persons  of  the 
other  sex,  to  permit  oneself  certain  familiarities  with  them  which  do 
not  appear  to  be  very  guilty.  And  when  the  enemy  of  our  salvation 
has  succeeded  in  calming  our  conscience  about  these  first  faults,  he 
tempts  us  to  commit  greater  ones,  he  ensnares  us  more  and  more  in 
his  nets,  and  leads  us  on  to  the  most  frightful  excesses. 

It  is  thus,  my  brethren,  that  an  illnesss,  light  at  first,  often  becomes 
grave  and  mortal  after  it  is  neglected.  It  is  thus  that  a  spark  not 
extinguished  soon  enkindles  a  great  fire  :  Behold^  hcnv  small  a  jirc,  what 
a  great  wood  it  kindleth!  (James  in.  5.)  It  is  thus  that  a  house  falls 
into  ruin,  if  a  small  leak  in  the  roof  is  not  repaired:  it  is  thus  that  a 
vessel  which  admits  a  little  water  soon  becomes  shipwrecked.  Ah, 
how  many  saints  have  fallen  most  deplorably,  how  many  defenders  of 
the  faith  have  become  apostates,  how  many  religious  have  abandoned 


204  THIRD   PART.       VIII.    INSTRUCTION 

the  cloister  and  become  the  scandal  of  the  world  for  having  neglected 
small  things!   Behold^  how  small  a  Jire,  what  a  great  wood  it  kindleth! 

I  could  quote  many  examples  both  of  sacred  and  profane  history, 
but  we  need  not  look  at  history.  Glance  around  you.  How  is  it  that 
such  a  person  who  was  once  so  zealous,  has  to-day  abandoned  himself 
altogether  to  sin  ?  How  is  it  that  some  who  once  edified  us  so  much 
during  a  mission,  in  a  retreat,  at  the  forty  hours,  are  worse  than  they 
were  before?  Because  they  did  not  watch  over  themselves,  because 
they  were  not  careful  to  avoid  little  faults.  Behold,  how  small  a  fire  ^ 
what  a  great  wood  it  kindleth! 

I  conjure  you,  my  brethren,  to  take  the  firm  resolution  of  avoid- 
ing venial  sin  with  the  greatest  care,  and  to  try  to  correct  yourselves  of 
all  evil  habits  you  may  have  contracted  in  the  past.  Be  careful  to 
examine  your  conscience,  to  declare  in  your  confessions  even  the  faults 
which  seem  to  you  very  slight,  and  impose  upon  yourselves  some  pen- 
ance when  you  commit  them  anew.  Devote  a  few  moments  every 
day  to  prayer,  to  pious  reading,  to  meditation  ;  frequent  the  sacra- 
ments. Practice  watchfulness  and  mortification,  fly  the  world,  avoid 
dissipation  and  dangerous  company ;  and  though  you  cannot  preserve 
yourselves  entirely  from  venial  sins,  you  will  avoid  at  least  a  great 
number  of  them,  and  you  will  not  fall  into  the  habit  of  venial  sin. 
You  will  assure  your  perseverance  in  good,  you  will  acquire  treasures 
of  merit  for  a  happy  eternity,  which  I  wish  to  you  all.     Amen. 


Vni.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Capital  Sins  —  On  Pride 

There  are  seven  capital  sins :  pride,  covetousness,  lust,  envy, 
anger,  gluttony,  and  sloth. 

We  call  them  capital  sins,  because  each  of  them  is  the  source  of 
several  others.  However,  these  sins  are  not  always  mortal ;  they  are 
mortal  only  when  the  matter  is  grievous  and  when  the  consent  is  per- 
fect. It  is  important  to  be  instructed  about  the  nature  and  malice 
of  the  seven  capital  sins,  as  well  as  about  the  remedies  to  employ  in 


ON  PRIDE  205 

correcting  ourselves  of  them,  because  there  is  always  one  which  domi- 
nates in  us  and  from  it  arise  almost  all  the  faults  to  which  we  are  subject. 
This  is  what  we  call  the  predominant  vice  or  passion,  a  passion  which 
we  cannot  combat  with  too  great  force  and  constancy,  for  on  the  issue 
of  this  combat  depends  our  salvation. 

I.  What  Is  Pride?  —  Pride  is  an  inordinate  love  of  ourselves,  which 
moves  us  to  think  too  much  of  ourselves,  to  prefer  ourselves  to  others, 
and  to  attribute  to  ourselves  what  comes  from  God,  In  other  words,  it 
is  a  disorderly  love  of  ourselves  and  of  our  good  qualities,  true  or  sup- 
posed, which  makes  us  esteem  ourselves  more  than  others  and  always 
desire  to  be  elevated  above  them.  Undoubtedly,  it  is  not  forbidden  to 
love  oneself,  and  it  would  be  impossible  not  to  do  so,  for  it  is  as  nat- 
ural to  man  to  love  himself  as  it  is  to  breathe.  So,  also,  it  is  not  for- 
bidden to  esteem  in  oneself  all  that  is  really  estimable ;  and  all  that 
we  have  received  from  God  is  certainly  worthy  of  esteem,  but  this 
love  of  ourselves  must  be  regulated,  it  must  be  kept  within  proper 
limits  and  must  be  subordinated  to  the  duties  either  towards  God  or 
towards  our  neighbor.  We  may  sin  through  pride  in  five  ways  :  ist. 
By  glorying  in  the  natural  or  supernatural  advantages  we  possess ;  2d. 
By  regarding  them  as  a  reward  of  our  own  merits ;  3d.  By  attributing 
to  ourselves  what  is  due  to  God ;  4th.  By  claiming  advantages  which 
we  have  not  and  seeking  to  make  others  believe  that  we  possess  them ; 
5th.  By  despising  others.  These  five  ways  are  so  many  degrees  or 
aggravating  circumstances  which  render  us  more  and  more  criminal 
before  God.  Thus,  you,  who  are  rich,  or  illustrious  by  birth,  you  glory 
in  yourself,  you  esteem  yourself  on  account  of  your  fortune  or  origin ; 
you,  man  of  talent  and  learning,  you  pride  yourself  on  your  knowl- 
edge and  talents ;  you,  worldly  woman,  are  proud  of  your  agreeable 
exterior;  or  you,  young  man,  proud  of  your  strength;  you,  mechanic, 
proud  of  your  success  in  your  art  and  industry,  etc.,  you  all  sin  through 
pride.  This  vain  complacency  in  yourselves,  this  self-sufficiency, 
is  the  first  degree  of  pride.  If  you  go  so  far  as  to  persuade  yourselves 
that  to  you,  alone,  belongs  the  merit  of  all  these  advantages  of  fortune, 
birth,  talent,  beauty,  strength,  and  industry,  that  God  has  nothing  to 
do  with  them,  that  you  are  indebted  for  them  to  yourself  alone,  that 
they  are  due  to  your  skill,  to  your  industry  or  by  a  right  of  heritage, 
you  fall  into  the  second  and  even  into  the  third  degree  of  pride,  and 
your  fault  becomes  much  more  grievous.  But  your  pride  will  become 
criminal  and  odious,  and  you  will  arrive  at  the  fourth  and  fifth  degree 


2o6  THIRD    PART.       VIII.    INSTRUCTION 

of  this  vice,  if,  full  of  illusion  and  blindness,  you  glorify  yourselves  on 
account  of  the  gifts  which  you  have  not  received,  of  qualities  which 
you  do  not  possess,  and  if  you  despise  your  neighbor,  because  you  be- 
lieve him  less  talented  than  you  and  not  enjoying  the  same  advantages. 

II.  Pride  gives  rise  to  several  other  vices,  the  principal  of  which 
are  vain  glory  or  vanity,  boasting,  hypocrisy,  ambition,  and  stub- 
bornness. 

1st.  Vain  Glory  or  Vanity. — ^A  proud  person  does  not  generally 
content  himself  with  being  pleased  with  himself  and  with  his  true  or 
supposed  qualities;  he  also  desires  that  others  should  acknowledge  and 
admire  them.  Not  content  with  esteeming  and  adoring  himself,  so 
to  say,  he  also  wishes  that  everybody  else  should  have  the  same 
opinion  and  esteem  of  him.  It  is  the  vice  of  those  rich  ones  who  dis- 
play with  so  much  complacency  the  luxury  of  their  garments,  their 
apartments,  and  their  furniture.  It  is  the  vice  of  the  literary  man 
who  seeks  to  parade  his  talents  and  science.  It  is  especially  the  vice 
of  young  girls,  who  dream  only  of  toilets  and  dresses,  and  who  seek 
only  to  attract  the  gaze  of  others.  Undoubtedly,  it  would  be  unjust 
to  reproach  all  maidens  with  this  vanity.  I  am  pleased  to  acknowl- 
edge that  many  are  really  humble  and  edifying  by  their  simplicity 
and  modesty.  But  how  many  are  there  who  do  not  resist  that  spirit 
of  vanity  towards  which  they  are  so  naturally  inclined !  How  many 
are  there  given  up  entirely  to  frivolity  and  fashion,  who  speak  of 
nothing  else,  who  only  long  for  Sunday  and  holy  days  in  order  to 
display  all  the  luxury  of  their  dresses,  and  who,  even  in  church,  seek 
only  to  see  and  to  be  seen  !  At  all  times,  luxury  has  reigned  in  the 
world ;  but  I  may  truly  say  that  never  before  has  it  taken  such  fright- 
ful proportions.  To-day  all  classes  of  society  are  confused.  The 
poor  hired  girl  wishes  to  appear  like  the  daughter  of  the  rich  mas- 
ter who  employs  her;  the  wealthy  daughter,  in  her  turn,  seeks  to 
rival  persons  of  an  elevated  rank,  and  even  of  the  highest  con- 
dition. Nothing  is  too  costly,  nothing  can  stop  her  in  her  vanity. 
Some  are  not  afraid  to  run  into  debt  to  satisfy  their  follies,  and  in 
order  to  keep  up  w^ith  the  style,  children  do  not  hesitate  to  rob  their 
parents,  and  the  wife  to  misapply  money  that  should  serve  for  the 
support  of  the  family. 

Young  persons,  do  not  permit  yourselves  to  be  dragged  along  by 
the  torrent  of  fashion;  do  not  follow  that  spirit  of  vanity  which 
becomes  a  source  of  so  many  dangers.     Be  simple  in  your  dress  and 


ON   PRIDE  207 

in  your  tastes;  let  each  one  be  content  to  live  according  to  his  means. 
Far  from  running  after  all  the  fashions  and  whims  of  the  day,  adopt 
only  what  your  state  of  life  requires  and  permits.  Do  not  buy  clothes 
at  prices  which  you  hardly  can  afford  to  pay.  Permit  nobody  to  look 
upon  you  as  a  worldly  person;  be  well  persuaded  that  by  this  regu- 
lated, wise,  and  Christian  conduct,  you  will  be  more  agreeable  to 
God,  and  all  the  more  esteemed  by  people;  and  if  you  are  called 
to  the  holy  state  of  matrimony,  you  will  open  for  yourselves  a  surer 
and  easier  way  to  an  honest  and  becoming  alliance. 

2d.  Boasting. — Boasting  consists  in  praising  oneself  without 
necessity,  or  seeking  for  praise.  How  many  there  are  who  are  subject 
to  thi^  vice !  One  boasts  of  his  birth,  another  of  his  fortune,  one 
boasts  of  his  qualities  of  mind,  another  of  his  qualities  of  body. 
Some  publish  their  virtues  and  good  works  to  the  world,  others  glory 
in  their  faults,  their  sins  and  disorders.  Some  have  good  taste  enough 
not  to  praise  themselves ;  but  what  skill  do  they  not  employ  that 
others  may  praise  them,  and  with  what  pleasure  do  they  not  listen  to 
compliments  and  eulogies.''  Such  behavior  is,  to  say  the  least,  ridicu- 
lous, and  draws  down  upon  the  person  only  mockery  and  contempt. 
It  is  not  permitted  to  praise  oneself  except  when  edification  requires 
it ;  and  even  then  one  must  be  careful  to  refer  to  God  the  merit  of  all 
the  good  works  or  of  the  qualities  one  speaks  of. 

3d.  Hypocrisy . —  Some  do  not  wish  to  be  virtuous,  and,  neverthe- 
less, they  desire  to  appear  so.  They  do  not  wish  to  correct  themselves 
of  their  evil  habits,  and  still  they  desire  to  approach  the  sacraments. 
In  church  they  have  an  air  of  piety  and  respect,  they  behave  like 
angels,  but  elsewhere  they  throw  themselves  into  vice  and  behave 
like  demons.  They  do  good  actions,  they  pray,  they  give  alms  to  the 
poor,  when  they  are  seen ;  but  when  they  are  not  seen  they  will 
abandon  the  exercise  of  all  virtue.  What  vice  is  more  odious  than 
hypocrisy?  It  was  the  crime  of  Judas  who,  at  the  Last  Supper, 
mingled  among  the  other  apostles  to  receive  the  body  and  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  who,  soon  afterwards,  in  the  Garden  of  Olives, 
dared  to  betray  his  divine  Master  with  a  kiss.  It  is  the  vice  of  all 
those  who  hide  their  corrupted  heart  under  the  mask  of  devotion,  who 
limit  themselves  to  barren  practices  of  piety  and  do  not  trouble  them- 
selves to  fulfill  their  duties.  Ah!  my  brethren,  do  not  seek  the 
regard  of  men,  seek  solely  the  favor  of  God.  What  good  can  the 
approbation   and  esteem  of  men  do  you  if  you  incur  the  displeasure 


2o8  THIRD   PART.      VIII.    INSTRUCTION 

of  God  who  reads  the  bottom  of  your  heart,  and  who  will  demand  an 
-account  one  day  of  your  most  secret  actions? 

4th.  Ambition. —  The  proud  man  is  never  content  with  his  lot  or 
with  the  place  he  occupies.  As  soon  as  he  is  in  one  position,  he 
desires  to  ascend  to  a  higher  one ;  when  he  is  in  an  inferior  condition ^ 
he  aspires  to  leave  his  state,  and  to  elevate  himself  to  the  highest  ranks 
of  society.  He  does  not  wish  to  be  subject  to  anybody,  and  wishes  to 
command  all.  He  would  like  to  see  everybody  below  him  and  almost 
at  his  feet.  He  is  angry,  so  to  say,  because  he  has  superiors  and 
masters,  and  would  like  to  occupy  their  places.  **  Get  away  there, that 
I  may  get  there,**  is  the  vulgar  cry  of  the  ambitious.  Such  is  the  end 
of  all  his  intrigues  and  of  all  his  actions.  And  to  arrive  at  his  end, 
what  pains  must  he  take !  How  many  difficulties  to  surmount,  how 
many  humiliations  to  impose  upon  himself,  how  many  rebuffs  to  sus- 
tain! Happy  those  who  are  born  in  a  state  in  which  they  cannot 
aspire  to  the  honors  and  dignities  of  the  world!  Ambition  is  an 
insatiable  passion  which  undermines  and  consumes  those  who  are 
attacked  by  it. 

5th.  Stubbornness. —  The  proud  man  is  never  in  the  wrong.  And 
if  he  is  alone  in  his  opinion,  he  claims  to  be  in  the  right  and  every- 
body else  in  the  wrong.  If  he  is  contradicted,  see  his  excitement, 
irritation,  and  anger!  Hence  arise  quarrels,  disputes,  lawsuits,  and 
implacable  hatreds. 

Finally,  Pride  Is  the  Beginning  of  All  Sin  (Eccl.  x.  15).  Back- 
biting, calumny,  revenge,  insubordination,  disobedience,  presumption, 
credulity,  impiety,  have  often  no  other  origin  but  pride.  Pride  has 
been  the  fatal  source  of  the  heresies  which  desolated  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  from  the  very  beginning.  Nothing  is  more  common  than 
pride ;  it  infests  the  small  ones  of  the  world  as  well  as  the  great,  the 
poor  as  well  as  the  rich,  the  ignorant  as  well  as  the  learned.  It  is  the 
vice  of  all  men.  We  often  see  more  pride  under  the  coarse  dress  than 
under  one  of  silk  and  gold.  The  simple  day  laborer  has  his  preten- 
sions, his  vanity,  his  self-love,  and  even  the  beggar  desires  to  elevate 
:  himself  above  others.  Persons  making  profession  of  faith  and  piety 
,are  not  always  exempt  from  pride.  Sometimes  they  glory  in  their 
practices  of  piety,  in  their  good  works,  as  the  people  of  the  world  in 
their  qualities  and  riches.  Contradict  or  blame  that  woman  whom 
you  see  so  often  in  the  church,  at  confession,  at  the  holy  table,  and 
you  will  see  how  angry  she  becomes,  how  she  flies  into  a  passion  and 


ON   PRIDE  20g 

gives  way  to  a  torrent  of  bitter  and  injurious  words.  Touch  the 
mountains ^  and  they  shall  smoke   (Ps.  cxliii). 

III.  But  as  much  as  pride  is  a  common  vice,  so  much  is  it  to  be  feared 
on  account  of  the  injury  it  does  to  God,  and  on  account  of  the  danger 
to  which  it  exposes  us. 

There  is  no  vice  which  displeases  God  more  than  pride,  because 
there  is  none  that  attacks  Him  more  directly.  The  proud  man  does 
not  hide  himself,  he  openly  defies  God,  and  whilst  in  the  other  vices  we 
always  find  a  pretext  for  excuse,  such  as  ignorance,  interest  or  weak- 
ness, the  proud  man  acts  for  the  sole  pleasure  of  outraging  God,  seek- 
ing to  equal  Him,  to  rob  Him  of  the  glory  that  belongs  to  Him.  *A11 
other  vices  flee  from  God,'^  says  St.  Thomas,  "  pride  alone  defies  Him.** 

The  Holy  Ghost  Himself  declares  that  one  of  the  things  which  God 
detests  the  most  is  pride  (Ps.  xx.)  ;  that  the  proud  will  sooner  or  later 
be  filled  with  malediction  (Eccl.  x.  15),  and  that  the  proud  man  will 
never  enter  heaven.  The  severity  with  which  God  punished  pride  at 
all  times  will  make  us  better  understand  the  enormity  of  this  sin.  The 
rebellious  angels,  blinded  by  their  own  light,  delighted  for  an  instant 
in  the  excellence  of  their  perfections,  and  wished  to  be  equal  to  their 
Creator ;  and  God  created  hell  to  be  their  abode  forever.  Adam  and 
Eve,  seduced  by  the  spirit  of  darkness,  aspired  to  be  like  God,  and 
they  are  ignominiously  driven  out  of  paradise  and  condemned  to  a  life 
of  misery.  The  children  of  Noah  undertake  to  build  the  Tower  of 
Babel  to  perpetuate  their  name,  and  God  confuses  their  language  and 
disperses  them  all  over  the  earth.  Nabuchodonosor  commands  his 
subjects  to  render  him  divine  honors,  and  he  is  driven  from  the  society 
of  men,  reduced  to  the  condition  of  the  beasts,  and  obliged  to  eat  the 
grass  of  the  fields. 

Pride  is  to  be  feared,  also,  on  account  of  the  dangers  to  which  it 
exposes  our  salvation.  Indeed,  no  virtue  can  exist  with  this  vice.  It 
corrupts  them  all  and  ruins  them  entirely.  It  is  a  poison  which 
blackens  all,  which  destroys  all,  which  changes  good  into  evil,  meri- 
torious works  into  sins,  devotions  into  hypocrisy,  angels  into  demons. 
What  is  there,  for  example,  more  agreeable  to  God  than  alms?  But  if 
in  a  sentiment  of  pride  you  give  charity  to  the  poor,  your  alms,  far 
from  being  meritorious,  become  criminal.  What  is  more  excellent 
than  prayer,  fasting,  the  frequentation  of  the  sacraments,  and  all  the 
holy  practices  of  Christian  piety?  And,  nevertheless,  if  you  permit 
them  to  be  infected  by  the  venom  of  pride,  they  are  nothing  but  acts 
14 


2IO  THIRD   PART.       VIII.    INSTRUCTION 

of  hypocrisy,  which  God  cannot  reward,  because  they  are  not  done 
for  Him. 

This  poison  of  pride,  so  dreadful  in  its  effects,  is  so  subtle  that 
often  it  penetrates  our  soul  without  our  perceiving  it.  How  many  per- 
sons there  are  who,  in  their  practices  of  piety,  in  their  good  works, 
think  they  are  acting  only  for  God  and  for  their  salvation,  and  who, 
after  all,  act  only  through  pride  and  self-love!  It  seems  to  them  that 
they  seek  only  the  glory  of  God  and  the  edification  of  their  neighbor, 
and,  nevertheless,  they  often  seek  only  themselves,  and  are  actuated 
only  by  human  motives ! 

Is  there,  how^ever,  anything  more  unjust  and  more  senseless  than 
this  pride?  What  have  w^e  that  we  have  not  received  from  God.f"  as 
St.  Paul  says.  But  if  we  have  received  everything,  can  we  glory  in 
anything?  (I.  Cor.  iv.  7.)  Would  a  vessel  of  clay,  covered  with  gold 
and  silver,  be  more  precious  for  that  reason.  You  are  proud  of  your 
noble  origin,  but  is  your  origin  due  to  yourself?  Is  it  through  your 
merits  that  you  were  born  of  illustrious  parents?  You  are  proud  of 
your  fortune ;  but  does  this  fortune,  supposing  you  have  acquired  it  in 
a  lawful  manner,  give  you  any  true  merit?  In  what  do  riches  distin- 
guish you  from  those  who  have  them  not,  except  by  the  good  use  you 
may  make  of  them?  You  are  proud  of  your  strength,  of  your 
beauty;  but,  dust  and  ashes  that  you  are,  do  you  not  remember  that 
this  body  which  you  worship  has  come  forth  from  the  slime  of  the 
earth,  and  will  soon  return  to  dust,  fall  into  corruption,  and  become 
a  prey  of  worms?  (Eccl.  x.  9.)  No,  my  brethren,  we  have  nothing 
of  which  we  can  be  proud.  If  we  have  talents,  we  owe  them  to 
God  ;  if  we  have  acquired  science,  it  is  only  through  the  faculties  He 
has  given  us;  if  we  have  piety  and  virtue,  we  owe  them  to  His  grace. 
The  only  thing,  alas!  that  properly  and  entirely  belongs  to  us,  is  sin. 
What  reason,  therefore,  have  we  to  be  proud?  What  would  you  say 
of  a  poor  beggar  who  would  put  on  the  garments  of  a  rich  man,  and 
set  out  to  show  himself  to  everybody,  to  parade  his  borrowed  luxury, 
and  to  draw  upon  himself  the  respect  and  homage  of  men  ?  He  would 
only  be  an  object  of  ridicule  and  contempt.  Is  this  not  the  conduct  of 
the  proud  man  ?  He  tries  to  rob  God  of  the  glory  that  belongs  to 
Him,  he  attributes  to  himself  what  he  owes  to  the  liberality  of  God ; 
and  instead  of  the  esteem  which  he  seeks,  of  the  homage  which  he 
desires,  he  inspires  only  hatred  and  disgust,  and  reaps  only  disdain  and 
contempt. 


ON   COVETOUSNESS  211 

IV.  Do  you  desire,  my  brethren,  to  preserve  yourselves  from  such 
a  dangerous  and  detestable  vice,  or  to  correct  yourselves?  These  are 
the  means  :  First,  exercise  yourselves  in  the  practice  of  humility. 
Contraries  are  healed  by  contraries.  Often  represent  to  yourselves 
that  you  are  nothing,  that  you  have  nothing  that  belongs  to  you,  that 
you  can  do  nothing  by  yourselves,  and  that  all  that  you  are,  all  that 
you  have,  you  owe  to  God.  The  second  means  is  to  repel  promptly  all 
temptations  of  pride,  vanity,  and  self-love,  to  be  very  faithful  never  to 
say  anything  in  order  to  be  praised,  except  when  the  good  of  your 
neighbor  requires  it,  and  always  refer  to  God  the  merit  of  all  your 
actions.  The  third  means  is  to  keep  before  your  eyes  the  example  of 
our  Saviour  and  of  His  Blessed  Mother.  What  a  profound  humility! 
What  a  forgetfulness  of  self!  What  an  abasement,  in  the  midst  of 
the  wonderful  actions  and  in  the  practice  of  the  most  perfect  and  most 
heroic  virtues  !  Finally,  prayer  is  the  most  excellent  means;  for  what 
could  we  do  without  that  help  of  grace,  and  how  can  we  hope  to 
obtain  grace  without  earnestly  asking  for  it  ?  Therefore,  pray,  pray 
often  in  order  that  God  may  show  you  how  little  you  are,  and  enlighten 
you  about  your  baseness  and  your  nothingness,  and  grant  you  humility, 
that  virtue  so  precious,  so  amiable,  and  so  necessary,  the  foundation  of  all 
other  virtues,  as  pride  is  the  source  of  all  vices.     Amen. 


IX.  INSTRUCTION 

On  Covetousness 

CovETOUSNESS  is  an  inordinate  love  for  temporal  goods.  The 
goods  of  this  world  are  gifts  of  God ;  and  divine  Providence  grants 
them  to  us  in  order  that  we  may  use  them  according  to  our  needs. 
Consequently  to  possess  and  to  desire  them  as  necessaries  of  life,  is  no 
crime.  God  reproves  and  condemns  only  the  inordinate  love  for  these 
goods  which  makes  us  seek  them  with  too  great  a  passion  if  we  are 
deprived  of  them,  or  leads  us  to  attach  ourselves  to  them  too  much  if 
we  possess  them  already.  It  is  this  inordinate  love,  this  excessive 
attachment  to  the  goods  of  this  world  what  we  call  covetousness ;  a 
blind  and  odious  passion  found   in  all  conditions  of  life,  among  the 


2  12  THIRD   PART.      IX.   INSTRUCTION 

poor  as  well  as  among  the  rich,  and  which  often  leads  to  the  most 
enormous  crimes.  The  Holy  Ghost  says  that  there  is  nothing-  more 
'wicked  than  the  covetous  man  (Eccl.  x.  9),  It  is  easy  to  understand 
this,  for  there  are  in  covetousness  three  characters  of  malice,  each  of 
■vrhich  is  sufficient  to  render  it  abominable  in  the  eyes  of  faith  and  in 
the  eyes  of  reason.  The  covetous  man  is  impious  towards  God  ;  he  is 
hard  and  unjust  towards  his  fellow-men  ;  he  is  cruel  towards  himself. 
Let  us  develop  these  three  thoughts. 

I.  The  covetous  man  is  impious  towards  God.  To  live  in  forgetful- 
ness  of  God  and  in  the  neglect  of  all  His  religious  duties,  to  prefer  the 
goods  of  this  world  to  God,  who  is  the  author  of  them,  and  to  trample 
on  the  commandments  of  God  in  the  mad  rush  for  riches  —  such  is  the 
conduct  of  the  covetous  man. 

The  covetous  man  lives  in  forgetfulness  of  God  and  of  his  religious 
duties.  Entirely  given  up  to  temporal  interests,  he  neglects  prayer 
and  the  sacraments,  he  does  not  assist  at  Mass  or  hears  it  without 
attention  and  devotion,  he  does  not  keep  the  Sunday  holy.  He  travels 
on  Sunday  for  business  which  could  be  done  on  some  other  day ;  he 
employs  the  Sunday  in  bargains  and  buying,  and  in  settling  affairs  of 
commerce,  in  servile  works,  in  gathering  the  harvest,  etc.  Money  and 
the  means  to  heap  it  up,  are  the  only  objects  of  all  his  thoughts,  of  all 
his  preoccupations,  and  of  all  his  solicitude.  Money  is  his  God  and 
his  idol.      Covetousness  is  the  service  oy  idols   (Col.  in.  5). 

Every  day,  from  morning  to  evening,  and  even  in  the  silence  of  the 
night,  during  his  wakeful  hours,  his  mind  is  entirely  occupied  with 
money,  and  he  dreams  of  nothing  else.  Like  those  idolaters  who 
prostrated  themselves  before  idols  of  gold  and  silver,  he  adores  a  vile 
metal,  and  renders  it  a  kind  of  sacrilegious  worship. 

And  what  excesses  does  he  not  commit  in  order  to  satisfy  his  covet- 
ousness ?  Judas  betrayed  his  God  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver.  A  fright- 
ful crime  !  but  it  is  imitated  every  day  by  the  covetous  man.  Perjury, 
calumny,  atrocious  detraction,  adultery,  odious  immorality,  nothing  is 
too  bad,  provided  he  obtains  his  ends.  What  ■will  you  give  me  and  I 
ivill  deliver  Him  unto  you,  said  the  impious  Judas  (Matt.  xxii.  15). 
How  much  will  you  give  me  says  this  man  to  the  plaintiff,  and  I  will 
serve  you  as  false  witness?  How  much  will  you  give  me,  says  another 
to  an  avenger,  and  I  will  assist  you  to  destroy  him  ?  How  much  will  you 
give  me,  says  the  woman  who  has  lost  all  moral  character,  and  I  will 
deliver  up  to  you  my  honor  and  my  soul  ? 


ON    COVETOUSNESS 


213 


II.  The  covetous  man  is  hard  and  unjust  towards  his  fellowmen. 
The  covetous  man  is  never  moved  to  pity  the  miseries  of  others.  He 
has  no  feeling,  no  heart.  If  the  poor  come  to  his  door,  he  never  will 
have  a  piece  of  bread  to  give  them.  If  there  is  in  the  congregation  a 
needy  family,  which  is  in  want  of  clothing,  food,  and  fuel,  he  will 
never  send  the  least  help.  The  Gospel  traces  us  the  picture  of  the 
covetous  man  in  the  person  of  the  wicked  Dives.  He  had  everything 
in  abundance,  he  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  his  gold  and  silver; 
but  he  refused  the  crumbs  that  fell  from  his  table  to  the  unfortunate 
Lazarus  who  lay  at  his  door  covered  with  ulcers  and  dying  with  hunger. 
How  many  wicked  men  there  are  still  in  the  world  who  count  their 
wealth  by  thousands,  and  often  by  millions,  but  who  are  afraid  they 
will  be  ruined  if  they  give  the  smallest  coin  to  the  beggar  who  stretches 
forth  his  hand,  forgetting  what  the  proverb  says,  that  alms  do  not 
make  poorer,  and  what  our  Saviour  teaches,  that  He  will  regard  as 
done  to  Him  ivhatever  vjc  do  to  one  of  His  brethren   (Matt.  xxv.  40). 

To  hardness  of  heart  the  covetous  joins  injustice.  What  does  he 
care  about  honor  and  uprightness?  There  is  only  question  of  pro- 
curing the  goods  which  he  covets,  and  he  is  not  afraid  to  wrong  his 
neighbor  and  to  commit  all  kinds  of  injustice.  Follow  him  in  his 
affairs  and  into  the  details  of  his  actions,  and  you  shall  see  how  fruit- 
ful he  is  in  cunning  and  artifice,  to  get  hold  of  something  that  does 
not  belong  to  him.  When  he  sells  he  will  deceive  you  in  both  weight 
and  measure  ;  when  he  sells  cattle  he  will  not  reveal  their  faults;  when 
he  loans  money,  it  will  be  always  with  usury.  What  again  must  we 
say  of  so  many  people  without  delicacy  and  conscience,  who  take 
possession  of  things  that  do  not  belong  to  them  ?  Is  it  not  covetous- 
ness  that  pushes  them  to  these  thefts?  O,  execrable  covetousness !  Of 
how  many  injustices  is  it  not  the  source  ;  of  how  many  quarrels,  of  ho-w 
much  cursing  and  swearing,  of  hatred  and  revenge  is  it  not  the  cause! 
Yes,  my  brethren,  it  is  covetousness,  especially,  that  causes  disunion 
and  discord  among  neighbors,  friends,  and  brothers.  Let  covet- 
ousness be  torn  out  from  the  heart  of  man,  and  how  many  misfortunes 
and  faults  will  disappear  at  the  same  time.  Covetousness  is  the  root 
of  all  evils   (I.  Tim.  vi.  10). 

III.  The  covetous  man  is  cruel  to  himself.  His  riches  serve  only 
to  render  him  unfortunate  in  this  world  and  in  the  next. 

The  covetous  man  is  unfortunate  in  this  world,  because  he  always 
desires  what  he  has  not,  because  he  is  afraid  to  lose  what  he  has,  and 


214 


THIRD    PART.       IX.    INSTRUCTION 


because  he  does  not  know  how  to  enjoy  it.  However  great  his  for- 
tune may  be,  he  still  wishes  to  increase  it.  All  that  he  sees  others 
possess  causes  him  to  envy  them;  his  passion  is  a  fever  that  torments 
him  continually;  it  is  a  fire  which  nothing  can  extinguish;  it  is  an 
abyss  which  nothing  can  fill.  Never  will  he  say,  it  is  enough  ;  on  the 
contrary  he  always  longs  for  new  riches,  he  will  always  ask  for  more: 
Brings  bring  (Prov.  xxx.  15.)  Did  you  ever  see  a  covetous  man  sat- 
isfied with  his  lot,  content  with  his  fortune?  What  troubles  and  pains 
does  he  not  take  to  heap  up  money  !  Though  wealthy  already,  he 
labors  without  relaxation,  like  the  poorest  man.  He  travels  day  and 
night  and  in  the  most  inclement  weather;  he  braves  the  rain,  the 
snow,  the  frost ;  he  exposes  both  his  life  and  health  to  preserve  the 
goods  already  acquired,  the  money  he  has  heaped  up ;  and  he  is  always 
filled  with  anxiety  and  alarm  ;  he  is  always  afraid  of  being  robbed. 
He  mistrusts  everybody,  even  his  nearest  relatives  and  his  best  friends ; 
he  is  continually  in  fear  about  his  possessions;  he  always  believes  that 
everybody  is  wronging  him,  and  that  everybody  is  robbing  him;  and 
if  he  does  suffer  any  damage,  what  vexation,  what  anger,  what  swear- 
ing, and  cursing  !  In  the  midst  of  such  care  and  restlessness,  the  cov- 
etous man  cannot  enjoy  his  riches.  He  possesses  goods,  and  makes  no 
use  of  them;  he  has  money,  and  he  does  not  employ  it ;  he  is  wealthy, 
and  he  dresses  like  a  poor  man  ;  he  lives  like  a  beggar,  he  lives  on  the 
coarsest  food ;  he  has  children,  and  he  leaves  them  in  ignorance  and 
w^ant ;  if  he  has  servants,  he  overtaxes  them  with  work  and  nearly 
starves  them  ;  when  he,  or  one  of  his  family,  falls  sick,  he  wishes  for 
neither  medicine  nor  remedies.  Covetousness  has  even  gone  so  far  as 
to  beg  from  door  to  door.  Oh,  the  sad  and  miserable  condition  of  the 
covetous  man  !  God  punishes  the  covetous  man  by  his  very  wealth ; 
the  very  riches  he  has  sought  with  so  much  avidity  make  him  mis- 
erable. Add  to  this  the  shame  and  infamy  which  are  unavoidably 
attached  to  his  person;  the  contempt  and  indignation  of  which  he  is 
the  object  on  the  part  of  all  good  men.  Is  there  any  one  in  the  world 
more  despised  and  more  unfortunate  than  the  covetous  man  ? 

But  if  he  is  unfortunate  in  this  world,  he  will  be  all  the  more  so 
in  the  next.  Listen  to  the  terrible  anathemas  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon 
the  covetous:  Woe  to  you  that  are  rich  (Luke  vi.  24).  It  is  easier 
for  a  ca?nel  to  pass  through  the  eye  of  a  needle  than  for  a  rich  man  to 
enter  the  kingdom  of  God  (Luke  xviii.  25).  Of  what  rich  persons  does 
the  Gospel  speak  }    Not  of  those  who  possess  great  riches,  but  of  those 


ON   COVETOUSNESS  215 

who  are  too  much  attached  to  them,  of  the  covetous.  And  what  our 
Saviour  declares  to  us,  St.  Paul  confirms  by  telling  us  in  clear  terms 
that  the  covetous  person  hath  no  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  of  God  (Ephes.  v.  5).  The  wicked  rich  man  of  the  Gos- 
pel was  not  thrown  into  hell,  says  St.  Gregory,  for  having  usurped  the 
goods  of  others,  but  because  he  was  too  much  attached  to  his  own 
goods,  and  because  he  made  a  bad  use  of  them.  Such  is,  coveteous 
man,  the  lot  that  awaits  you  if  you  do  not  repent.  The  day  shall 
come  when  one  will  say  to  you  :  Remember ,  thou  didst  receive  good 
things  in  thy  lifetime  (Luke  xvi.  25.)  Thou  hast  not  made  use  of 
them  as  thou  oughtest  to  have  done;  thou  hast  remained  insensible  to 
the  miseries  of  thy  fellowmen.  Depart  from  me  into  everlasting  fire 
(Matt.  XXV.  41.) 

IV.  But  the  covetous  man  does  not  listen  to  this  language,  and  far 
from  applying  to  himself  all  that  he  hears  of  this  vice,  he  always  applies 
it  to  others.  He  alone  cannot  perceive  the  fault  with  which  everybody 
reproaches  him.  ^*  No  covetous  person  even  accuses  himself  of  this  in 
the  sacred  tribunal  of  penance,**  says  St.  Francis  of  Sales.  To  listen 
to  the  covetous,  it  is  only  a  wise  economy  that  make  them  gather  riches. 
Undoubtedly,  a  prudent  economy  is  no  vice ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  vir- 
tue and  a  duty,  if  it  is  practiced  within  just  limits.  But  to  avoid  one 
excess,  must  we  fall  into  the  opposite  excess.?  Must  one  be  covetous  in 
order  not  to  be  prodigal  ? 

From  the  picture  I  have  drawn  to  you  of  covetousness,  you  may 
know  whether  or  not  you  have  been  guilty  of  this  vice  ;  but,  in  order 
to  make  your  examination  more  easy  on  this  subject,  fix  your  atten- 
tion on  a  few  principal  points,  and  see  :  ist.  Whether  your  desire  for 
money  makes  you  neglect  your  duties,  such  as  prayer,  the  sacraments, 
the  sanctification  of  Sunday,  the  education  and  support  of  your  family; 
2d.  Whether  it  leads  you  to  have  recourse  to  unjust  means  of  increas- 
ing your  wealth,  such  as  theft,  fraud,  and  usury ;  3d.  Whether  you 
have  given  alms,  as  you  should  do,  without  complaint  and  murmuring, 
and  according  to  your  means ;  4th.  Whether  you  swear  or  become 
angry  at  the  least  loss  or  the  least  injustice  done  you  ;  5th.  Finally, 
whether  you  are  one  of  those  monopolists  who,  after  having  locked 
up  the  resources  of  a  country,  sell,  even  to  the  poor  whom  you  know 
to  be  suffering,  for  exorbitant  prices.  Ah!  my  brethren,  how  many 
covetous  people  are  there  in  the  world!  How  many,  perhaps,  among 
those  that  listen  to  me!     For  one  must  not  think  that  it  is  necessary 


2i6  THIRD   PART.      X.   INSTRUCTION 

to  be  wealthy  in  order  to  be  covetous.  No,  the  vice  is  common  to  all 
the  ranks,  and  to  all  the  conditions  of  life,  says  St.  Jerome,  and  it 
often  happens  that  the  poor  man  is  more  attached  to  the  little  prop- 
erty he  has,  than  the  rich  man  to  his  treasures  and  domains.  Even 
age,  which  contributes  to  heal,  or  at  least  to  weaken,  all  the  other 
passions,  serves  only  to  develop  the  passion  of  avarice.  The  older  one 
grows  the  more  one  is  attached  to  the  goods  one  is  going  to  leave 
soon  ;  the  nearer  one  comes  to  the  grave  the  more  one  holds  to  the 
things  of  the  earth.  Covetousness  is  the  favorite  passion  of  aged  per- 
sons. 

V.  If  you  wish  to  correct  yourselves  of  this  odious  vice,  begin  by 
restoring  the  goods  which  you  may  have  acquired  unjustly,  and  with 
the  firm  resolution  never  more  to  do  the  least  wrong  to  your  neighbor ; 
without  this,  all  the  rest  would  be  useless.  Then,  accustom  yourselves 
to  give,  and  to  give  abundantly,  to  those  who  are  in  need,  mindful  of 
the  reward  which  God  has  promised  to  those  that  give  alms.  Remem- 
ber, a  time  and  hour  will  come  when  you  must  leave  all,  and  this  time 
and  hour  is,  perhaps,  close  at  hand.  Naked  you  came  into  this  world, 
as  the  holy  man  Job  says,  and  naked  you  must  leave  it.  Finally, 
meditate  often  on  the  goods  of  eternity,  the  only  solid  and  only  dura- 
ble riches,  the  only  treasure  which  neither  thieves,  nor  worms,  nor 
rust,  can  take  away  from  you.  Employ  all  the  means  with  courage 
and  constancy  to  root  out  the  vice  of  covetousness,  and  besides  the 
public  esteem  and  consideration  which  you  will  gain,  you  will  obtain 
peace  and  tranquillity  of  soul  which  the  detachment  from  the  goods 
of  this  world  will  procure  you,  and  you  will  merit  the  eternity  of  hap- 
piness which  the  Lord  has  promised  to  the  poor  in  spirit  (Matt.  v.  3), 
and  which  I  wish  to  you  all.      Amen. 


X.  INSTRUCTION 
On   Lust 

Lust  is  an  inordinate  love  of  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
senses. 

All  the  pleasures  of  the  senses  are  not  forbidden.  There  are  gome 
innocent  and  pure  ones  which  Providence  itself  has  prepared  for  us, 


ON   LUST  217 

and  which  are  necessary  to  entertain  us,  to  repair  our  strength,  to 
preserve  our  health,  to  sustain  our  weakness,  and  to  relieve  our  evils. 
Thus  it  is  not  forbidden  to  taste  the  sweetness  of  sleep,  to  love  the 
savor  of  food  ;  it  is  not  forbidden  to  contemplate  agreeable  landscapes, 
beautiful  aspects  which  nature  presents  to  our  eyes,  to  enjoy  the  cool 
and  shade  of  the  country;  it  is  not  forbidden  to  listen  to  harmonious 
sounds,  to  sweet  concerts  that  please  our  ear.  As  long  as  these  pleas- 
ures are  not  excessive,  and  as  long  as  one  enjoys  them  with  a  right 
view,  they  are  permitted  and  legitimate. 

But  it  is  not  the  same  with  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh  or  the  impure 
pleasures,  that  is,  the  glutting  of  that  brutal  passion  designated  under 
the  name  of  Lust.  It  is  not  my  purpose  to  speak  to  you,  either  of  the 
different  ways  one  can  render  himself  guilty  of  the  sin  of  lust, 
or  of  the  diverse  causes  which  can  give  rise  to  it,  or  of  the 
remedies  to  employ  to  preserve  oneself  against  it,  I  shall  do  this 
in  explaining  the  sixth  commandment  of  God.  What  I  purpose  to  do 
in  the  present  instruction  is  to  give  you  an  idea  of  the  enormity  of  this 
vice.  It  would  be  my  most  hearty  desire  never  to  be  obliged  to  speak 
of  this  vice.  But,  alas  !  it  is  so  common,  and  it  causes  the  loss  of  so 
many  souls,  that  we,  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  guardians  of  the  house 
of  God,  would  fail  in  our  duties,  we  would  be  unfaithful  to  our  min- 
istry and  our  mission  if  we  should  keep  silence,  if  we  did  not  combat 
with  the  greatest  zeal  so  fatal  and  dangerous  an  evil.  However,  I 
know  the  reserve  which  I  must  observe  in  my  language,  and  hope  to 
speak  with  all  becoming  restraint. 

We  need  only  to  consider  this  vice  in  the  eyes  of  faith  and  reason, 
and  study  its  fatal  consequences,  to  convince  ourselves  that  there  is  no 
vice  more  degrading,  more  infamous,  and  more  to  be  feared,  than  lust. 
I.  Let  us  consider  it  in  the  eyes  of  faith.  A  Christian  is  the  image 
of  God,  as  the  Holy  Scripture  tells  us,  he  is  formed  to  God's  own  like- 
ness. But  what  does  he  do  when  he  has  the  misfortune  to  deliver 
himself  up  to  the  vice  of  impurity.?  He  soils  this  image,  he  degrades 
it  and  drags  it  in  the  mire.  A  Christian  is  a  brother  of  Jesus  Christ; 
his  flesh  has  become  the  flesh  of  Jesus  Christ  through  baptism  and 
holy  communion ;  his  blood  has  become  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ ;  his 
members  have  become  the  members  of  Jesus  Christ.  Tour  bodies  are 
the  members  of  Christ  (I.  Cor.  vi.  15).  Can  one  image  a  more  inti- 
mate union?  And  can  there  be  a  more  horrible  abomination  and  sacri- 
lege than  to  dishonor  this  body  through  the  shameful  vice  of  impurity, 


2i8  THIRD   PART.      X.   INSTRUCTION 

to  take  the  members  of  Jesus  Christ  in  order  to  make  them  the  members 
of  a  harlot}  (I.  Cor.  vi.  i6.)  What  would  you  say  to  a  man  who  would 
push  impiety  so  far  as  to  make  use  of  our  temples,  of  our  most  vener- 
ated sanctuaries  for  the  vilest  practices,  for  the  most  shameful  crimes.? 
But  you  unchaste  persons  that  listen  to  me,  behold  what  you  do  your- 
selves, with  the  difference  that  here  are  only  material  and  inanimate 
temples  to  be  profaned,  but  your  souls  and  your  bodies  are  the  living 
temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  you  soil  and  which  you  deliver  to 
the  devil,  His  most  cruel  enemy. 

The  crime  one  commits  in  giving  himself  up  to  this  vice  is  so  great, 
that  one  of  the  most  learned  doctors  of  the  Church,  Tertullian,  was 
not  afraid  to  maintain  that  it  is  unpardonable,  and  that  one  could 
no  longer  admit  those  to  penance  who  rendered  themselves  guilty 
thereof.  Undoubtedly,  this  is  an  error,  which  the  Church  hastened 
to  condemn  ;  but  she  always  ranked  this  crime  as  one  of  the  most 
enormous,  because  she  imposed  upon  those  who  rendered  themselves 
guilty  of  it  a  rigorous  fast  on  bread  and  water,  for  ten,  twenty  or 
thirty  days. 

What  proves  how  much  this  vice  outrages  religion  and  displeases 
God,  are  the  terrible  punishments  with  which  He  has  pursued  lust. 
In  fact  was  it  not  this  vice  that  caused  the  Deluge?  Was  it  not  im- 
purity that  brought  down  fire  and  brimstone  upon  the  infamous  cities 
of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha,  and  destroyed  all  their  inhabitants?  Was  it 
not  impurity  that  caused  the  death,  through  the  sword  of  Phinees,  of 
twenty-four  thousand  Israelites  in  one  day,  that  effected  the  extermi- 
nation of  the  almost  entire  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and  which  drew  so 
many  evils  upon  the  house  of  David?  And  in  our  own  times,  whence 
arise  the  many  plagues  and  misfortunes  that  afflict  us ;  pestilences  and 
contagious  diseases ;  so  many  sudden  deaths,  bloody  wars,  tempests 
and  storms,  inundations  and  draught ;  so  many  disasters  which  ravage 
cities,  provinces,  and  kingdoms,  and  in  which  can  be  seen  the  hand  of 
an  irritated  God  who  strikes  and  chastises  us?  Ah!  my  brethren,  un- 
doubtedly these  plagues  may  be  due  to  many  causes  and  especially  to 
blasphemy  and  to  the  profanation  of  the  Lord's  Day ;  but  believe  me, 
says  St.  Thomas  of  Villanova,  they  are  also  in  punishment  of  intem- 
perance and  the  frightful  lusts  of  mankind.  As  in  the  time  of  Noah, 
all  flesh  has  corrupted  its  ways,  the  disorder  is  universal  to-day,  and 
corruption  is  at  its  full  height.  This  is  why  God,  who  sees  all  and 
whose  justice   is  infinite,  inflicts  us  with  chastisements   so   rigorous 


ON  LUST 


219 


and  so  strange,  and  wishes  to  draw  us  out  from  the  evil  through  the 
excess  of  our  misfortunes  and  sufferings. 

Sinners,  given  up  to  the  disorders  of  the  senses,  will  you  begin  to 
understand  how  criminal  your  passion  is,  and  how  unworthy  of  the 
name  of  Christian  which  you  bear? 

II.  But  it  is  not  only  faith  that  condemns  this  vice,  it  is  also  reason 
itself.  His  soul  would  be  degraded  and  debased  indeed,  who  would 
not  feel  all  the  hideousness  and  infamy  the  vice  of  lust  contains.  Be- 
hold those  two  old  men  of  whom  the  Scriptures  speak ;  they  turn 
away  their  eyes  in  order  not  to  see  heaven;  they  do  not  dare  to  tell 
one  another  of  the  fire  that  consumes  them.  The  shame  attached  to 
this  brutal  vice  is  so  great,  that  it  is  called  everywhere  the  *^  shameful 
vice.'^  Everywhere  the  unchaste  are  despised,  their  presence  is 
detested,  and  they  are  regarded  as  the  desolation  of  the  places  which 
they  inhabit.  When  a  girl  happens  to  forget  her  duties  and  her  honor, 
her  own  parents  are  ashamed  of  her,  her  friends  shun  her,  her  neighbors 
curse  her  and  keep  away  from  her.  And  when,  after  a  first  fall,  she 
sinks  deeper  into  the  crime  and  throws  off  all  shame,  what  a  debase- 
ment, what  a  degradation!  She  becomes  the  disgrace  of  her  family, 
the  disgrace  of  religion,  and  the  scandal  of  society.  Leave  us,  leave 
us,  wives  and  girls  without  virtue  and  without  honor ;  you  are  un- 
worthy to  appear  in  the  assembly  of  the  saints ;  go  and  hide  your 
shame  in  those  dark  dens  which  you  have  chosen  for  your  criminal 
projects !  .  .  .  Or,  if  you  dare  to  show  yourselves  in  the  house  of 
God,  in  the  midst  of  the  faithful,  let  it  be  to  bewail  your  crimes  and 
to  implore  pardon.  And  you  also,  unchaste  men,  if  unfortunately 
there  are  some  here  present,  of  whatever  age  you  may  be,  young  or 
old,  you  who  are  not  content  to  damn  only  yourselves,  but  labor  also 
for  the  loss  of  others ;  you  infamous  seducers  and  corrupters,  do  not 
soil  the  holy  place  by  your  presence ;  you  are  doing  the  work  of  Satan; 
you  are  his  agents  and  ministers!  You  take  upon  yourselves  a  terrible 
responsibility  before  God,  and  you  incur  the  contempt  of  all  good 
people.  Ah!  I  conjure  you,  have  pity  on  your  own  soul  and  the 
souls  of  your  brethren ;  raise  yourselves  out  of  the  mire  into  which 
you  have  plunged  yourselves,  and  through  repentance  and  prayer 
return  to  God  and  virtue. 

III.  Both  faith  and  reason  join  in  condemning  the  vice  of  impurity. 
Let  us  now  consider  the  fatal  consequences  of  this  vice.  In  the  first 
place,  there  is  no  vice  which  blinds  man  more  than  this.     Hardly  had 


2  20  THIRD  PART.      X.   IliSTRUCTION 

Solomon  become  unchaste  when  he  offered  incense  to  idols  and  became 
an  apostate.  And  if  there  are  to-day  so  many  infidels  in  the  world 
and  so  many  impious  men,  what  is  the  reason,  if  not  because  there  are 
so  many  unchaste  ?  You  who  have  so  little  respect  for  religion  and  its 
ministers,  who  speak  of  them  mockingly,  since  when  do  you  speak  so? 
Since  you  became  unchaste.  You  who  do  not  go  to  the  sacraments 
any  longer,  who  violate  all  the  laws  of  the  Church,  who  do  not  go  to 
confession,  who  break  every  fast  and  abstinence,  from  what  time  do 
you  date  your  neglect  and  indifference?  Since  you  became  unchaste. 
But  it  is  not  only  faith  which  is  lost  by  the  vice  of  impurity,  but 
health,  fortune,  and  reason  itself  are  all  ruined.  Impurity  is  like  a  de- 
vouring fire,  a  subtle  poison,  which  ruins  even  the  most  robust  temper- 
aments. Those  early  wrinkles,  which  mark  your  forehead  at  the  age 
of  twenty-five  or  thirty  years,  and  those  incurable  infirmities,  that  state 
of  enervation,  that  loss  of  physical  strength,  whence  does  all  this 
come?  From  the  habit  of  impurity.  Loss  of  health,  loss  also  of  for- 
tune follow  in  its  train.  Hardly  had  the  prodigal  son  delivered  him- 
self up  to  debauchery  than  he  squandered  and  lost  his  inheritance. 
Alas  !  how  many  families  once  so  flourishing,  have  for  the  same  cause 
fallen  into  ruin  !  Hospitals  and  insane  asylums  are  filled  with  miserable 
men  and  women  whom  impurity  has  brought  to  this  most  lamentable 
state.  This  fatal  passion  is  the  cause  of  all  our  misfortunes  and  pushes 
us  into  all  disorders ;  and  if  one  permits  himself  to  be  dominated  by  it 
he  does  not  stop  at  any  excess.  As  David,  from  an  adulterer,  became 
a  homicide,  so  the  impure  sinner  makes  no  scruples  even  of  the  most 
enormous  crimes.  O,  passion,  cursed  passion!  How  many  disasters 
dost  thou  cause  every  day  in  the  world  !  How  many  souls  dost  thou 
precipitate  into  hell  !  Would  you  believe,  my  brethren,  what  the  most 
respectable  authors  teach,  and  among  others  St.  Liguori,  that  out  of  a 
hundred  thousand  souls,  there  are  ninety  thousand  who  are  lost  on  ac- 
count of  impurity?  Among  ten  damned,  there  are  nine  unchaste  ! 
This  surprises  you  ;  but  need  we  be  astonished  when  we  see  the  fright- 
ful debauchery  of  youth,  of  mature  age,  and  even  of  childhood  and  old 
age?  O,  frightful  plague  of  religion  and  society!  O,  despair  of  pastors 
and  confessors  !     O,  desolation  of  families  ! 

I  will  insist  no  longer  on  this  subject ;  I  believe  I  have  told  you 
enough  to  make  you  feel  the  infamy  of  lust.  I  have  only  to  exhort 
you  to  fly  and  to  detest  this  vice.  I  know  well  the  violent  combats 
which  you  have  to  sustain  against  the  devil,  the  world,  and  the  flesh. 


ON  ENVY  22  1 

But,  believe  me,  God  does  not  prescribe  anything  impossible;  to  be 
chaste,  with  the  help  of  God,  you  only  need  to  earnestly  wish  it. 
Later  on  I  shall  tell  you  what  means  to  employ.  Meanwhile,  it  will 
be  sufficient  for  me  to  recommend  to  you  the  virtue  opposed  to  it,  that 
is,  chastity ;  which  is  the  most  beautiful  of  all  virtues,  the  flower  of 
good  morals,  as  Tertullian  says,  the  honor  of  the  body,  the  glory  of 
both  sexes,  and  the  foundation  of  sanctity ;  chastity,  which  elevates 
man  above  the  angels,  and  renders  him  in  some  sort  similar  to  God. 
Jncorruption  bringeth  near  to  God  (Wis.  vi.  20).  How  agreeable 
must  this  lovely  virtue  be  in  the  eyes  of  God,  since  He  wished  to  be 
born  of  a  virgin,  since  the  disciple  He  loved  the  most  tenderly  was  a 
virgin,  since  He  honors  a  pure  soul  by  the  name  of  spouse,  and  since 
in  heaven  the  virgins  compose  His  court.  Keep  away  from  all  the 
dangers  that  threaten  purity.  Pray  often  to  God  for  this  holy  virtue, 
and  rest  assured  that  He  will  never  refuse  you  the  graces  necessary  to 
fulfill  what  He  commands.     Amen. 


XI.     INSTRUCTION 
On    Envy 

Envy  makes  us  displeased  at  the  good  fortune  of  our  neighbor,  or 
glad  at  his  misfortunes. 

I.  Envy  is  a  very  common  vice.  Everywhere  we  find  those  hate- 
ful spirits,  who  rejoice  at  the  humiliation  or  misery  of  those  whom 
they  do  not  love ;  proud  persons,  who,  unable  to  tolerate  either  supe- 
riors or  equals,  look  with  pain  on  the  elevation  and  prosperity  of 
others ;  covetous  persons  who  look  with  an  evil  eye  upon  all  those 
who,  through  their  industry,  their  wise  economy  and  hard  labor,  in- 
crease their  fortunes  day  by  day.  Envy  is  the  sin  of  the  tradesman 
who  is  angry  because  customers  patronize  his  rival;  it  is  the  sin  of 
the  merchant  who  sees  with  pain  that  the  business  of  his  neighbor  is 
more  flourishing  than  his  own ;  of  the  farmer  who  is  vexed  because 
the  harvest  of  another  is  more  abundant  than  his  own.  It  is  the  sin 
of  those,  moreover,  who  are  jealous  at   seeing  their  neighbor  better 


222  THIRD   PART.      XI.    INSTRUCTION 

dressed  than  they  are,  or  because  they  are  possessed  of  exterior  qual- 
ities which  they  have  not,  or  because  their  rivals  find  good  husbands 
while  they  seem  to  be  forgotten.  It  is  the  sin  of  the  hired  man,  of 
the  hired  girl,  who  are  jealous  because  other  servants  are  better  loved 
by  their  masters  than  they  are.  It  is  the  sin  of  persons  of  a  false  and 
mistaken  piety,  who  are  jealous  because  another  is  more  favored  with 
graces  than  they  are,  or  because  they  are  allowed  to  receive  communion 
more  frequently.  In  a  word,  envy  is  the  vice  of  all  states  of  life,  of  all 
conditions  and  ages. 

II.   Envy  is  a  very  odious  and  condemnable  vice. 

We  are  all  members  of  the  same  body  and,  consequently,  bound  to 
love  one  another.  Charity  is  the  first  of  the  evangelical  virtues,  and 
the  queen  of  all  virtues.  And  is  the  envious  man  charitable?  He 
who,  on  the  contrary,  is  afflicted  at  the  good  of  his  neighbor,  at  the 
advantages  he  possesses,  and  w^ho  rejoices  at  the  evils  which  God 
sends  him?  Envy  is  the  very  reverse  of  charity,  as  error  is  opposed 
to  truth,  darkness  to  light.  How,  therefore,  can  the  envious  man  pre- 
tend to  be  the  disciple  of  a  God  who  died  out  of  love  for  us?  Consid- 
ering envy  only  in  the  light  of  reason,  what  is  there  more  odious  and 
more  senseless  than  to  be  afflicted  at  the  happiness  of  one's  brother,  at 
his  fortune,  at  his  success,  at  his  good  qualities,  and  to  rejoice  at  the 
evils  that  befall  him?  What  interest  can  one  have  in  all  this?  Will 
the  envious  man  be  richer  or  happier  because  his  neighbor  is  poor  and 
unhappy?  Or  is  God  not  the  Lord  and  Master  of  His  own  gifts  and 
free  to  distribute  them  to  whom  He  pleases  and  how  He  pleases? 
Thou  wicked  servant,  because  God  is  good  is  this  a  reason  for  you  to 
be  wicked?  Is  thy  eye  evil,  because  I  am  good?  (Matt.  xx.  15.)  What 
reason  have  you  to  complain  ?  Do  you  not  owe  all  that  you  possess  to 
God's  goodness  and  liberality? 

The  envious  man  resembles  the  devil  who  seeks  to  destroy  men 
only  because  of  their  happiness.  Like  that  malignant  spirit,  the  envi- 
ous man  wishes  evil  to  others  for  the  sole  pleasure  of  seeing  them 
miserable;  and  he  suffers  less  from  his  own  evils,  says  St.  Chrysostom, 
than  from  the  sight  of  the  good  that  others  enjoy.  The  malice  of  the 
envious  surpasses  in  some  sort  that  of  the  devil.  Because,  says  the 
same  father,  the  demon  at  least  is  not  jealous  of  other  demons,  whilst 
the  envious  person  is  jealous  of  his  fellow-men.  In  this,  adds  the 
same  father,  he  is  worse  than  the  wild  beasts,  who  at  least  respect  the 
animals  of  their  own  kind. 


ON   ENVY  223 

III.  Envy  is  a  most  prolific  source  of  evil.  It  was  through  envy 
that  the  devil  brought  death  into  the  world  and  all  the  evils  that  afflict 
us  as  the  consequence  of  sin.  The  devil,  jealous  of  the  happiness  of 
man  who  was  to  occupy  in  heaven  the  place  he  had  lost  through  his 
pride,  tempted  him  to  revolt  against  God  and  thus  occasioned  his  loss 
and  the  loss  of  all  mankind.  It  was  envy  that  caused  the  death  of 
the  innocent  Abel.  Cain  was  jealous  at  seeing  that  God  preferred  the 
sacrifice  of  Abel  to  his  own,  and  taking  him  one  day  into  the  fields 
he  killed  him.  It  was  envy  that  caused  the  trouble  in  the  family  of 
Jacob.  The  brothers  of  Joseph,  angry  on  account  of  the  marks  of 
predilection  which  their  father  showed  to  this  young  child,  took  the 
frightful  resolution  of  putting  him  to  death,  and  they  would  have 
done  so,  undoubtedly,  if  Judas,  one  among  them,  had  not  begged 
them  to  content  themselves  with  selling  him  to  Ismaelitic  merchants 
as  a  slave.  It  was  envy  that  moved  Saul  to  seek  the  life  of  David, 
the  conqueror  of  God's  enemies,  and  from 'whom  he  had  received  the 
greatest  services,  but  whom  he  heard  praised  by  all  the  people  and 
raised  to  the  highest  honors.  The  cruel  Herod  heard  that  among  the 
children  born  in  Bethlehem  there  was  one  who  was  to  be  the  king  of 
the  Jews,  and  in  order  to  make  sure  his  destruction,  he  ordered  the 
massacre  of  all  the  children  less  than  two  years  old.  But  the  most 
enormous  crime  which  envy  ever  caused,  was  the  crime  of  the  Jews 
against  the  adorable  person  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  doctors  of  the  Law 
and  the  Pharisees  irritated  at  seeing  the  Saviour  working  the  greatest 
miracles,  and,  through  the  brilliancy  of  His  works,  the  wisdom  and 
holiness  of  His  doctrine,  gaining  multitudes  of  people  to  follow  Him, 
invented  the  most  atrocious  calumnies  against  Jesus,  caused  Him  to 
be  condemned  to  death,  and  consummated  the  frightful  deicide  upon 
Mount  Calvary. 

And  how  many  evils  does  not  envy  cause  every  day,  even  before 
our  eyes?  Is  not  envy  the  cause  of  nearly  all  hatreds,  vengeances, 
murders,  and  other  enormous  crimes?  Is  not  envy  the  inventor  of  the 
most  shameful  reports,  the  most  bitter  criticisms,  the  most  atrocious 
detractions,  and  the  blackest  calumnies? 

Is  it  not  envy  that  sets  laborer  against  laborer,  merchant  against 
merchant,  neighbor  against  neighbor,  and  brother  against  brother? 
Is  it  not  envy  that  estranges  the  best  of  friends  and  hinders  the  recon- 
ciliation of  enemies?     **  Worthy  daughter  of  pride  and  covetousness, '* 


224 


THIRD   PART.      XI.    INSTRUCTION 


cries  out  St.  Augustine,  ^' thou  dost  not  know  what  it  is  to  be  barren, 
and  every  day  thou  begettest  new  misfortunes.'* 

IV.  Envy  causes  misery  to  him  who  delivers  himself  up  to  it.  The 
jealous  person  is  punished  already  in  this  life  by  his  own  sin.  His 
very  passion  is  his  torment.  The  spite,  the  vexation,  which  he  feels  at 
the  good  fortune  of  his  neighbor,  is  for  him  a  continual  torture  which 
permits  him  no  moment  of  joy  and  pleasure.  It  is  not  thus  with  other 
vices;  if  they  make  us  suffer  through  the  remorse  which  they  leave  in 
the  soul,  they  at  least  procure  some  satisfaction,  some  comfort.  The 
thief  profits  by  the  goods  which  he  steals  from  others;  the  lecherous, 
the  intemperate,  find  enjoyment  in  satisfying  their  infamous  passions; 
but  with  the  envious  man  it  is  quite  the  contrary.  The  more  he  per- 
mits himself  to  be  dominated  by  his  favorite  vice,  the  more  unhappy 
he  becomes.  His  misery,  his  sadness,  become  greater  according  as  he 
nourishes  his  heart  with  gall  and  bitterness.  Envy  is  a  fever  that 
consumes  him,  a  worm  that  gnaws  at  his  heart,  a  viper  that  lacerates 
his  bowels,  a  poison  that  undermines  and  kills  him.  Look  at  the  feat- 
ures of  the  envious  man,  and  see  how  sadness  and  anger  are  depicted 
on  them !  Look  at  that  melancholy  countenance,  that  face  wrinkled 
and  emaciated,  with  its  anxious  and  restless  look!  He  is  a  living  mir- 
ror of  the  troubles  and  anguishes  that  agitate  his  soul. 

V.  In  spite  of  the  torments,  in  spite  of  all  the  evils  which  envy 
causes,  it  is  very  hard  to  correct  oneself  of  it  when  once  the  habit  is 
contracted.  According  to  the  opinion  of  the  Fathers,  there  is  no 
illness  more  incurable,  no  healing  more  difficult.  It  is  a  desperate  sin, 
says  St.  Gregory.  According  to  St.  Cyprian,  it  is  an  evil  without 
remedy.  Sad  experience  shows  this  only  too  clearly.  When  envy  has 
once  entered  the  heart  it  strikes  deep  roots,  and  ordinary  grace  is  pow- 
erless to  root  it  out.  The  soul  of  the  envious  man  is  so  blinded  that 
he  seldom  regards  himself  guilty  of  a  vice  of  which  he  is  reproached 
by  everybody.  You,  my  brethren,  who  have  fortunately  thus  far  never 
been  attacked  by  this  loathsome  vice,  redouble  your  attention  and  vigil- 
ance that  its  foul  breath  may  never  soil  your  soul  !  As  to  you  who 
have  the  misfortune  to  be  tainted  with  this  vice,  if  God  will  be  pleased 
to  give  you  the  grace  to  know  yourselves  well,  here  are  some  of  the 
means  which  may  assist  you  to  correct  yourselves.  The  first  is  a  firm 
and  resolute  will.  Vague  resolutions  and  empty  desires  are  useless. 
You  must   root  out  the  evil   with  energy  and  courage,  and  God  will 


ON  GLUTTONY  22$ 

bless  you  and  assist  you  in  your  efforts.  The  second  means  is  to  detach 
yourselves  from  the  goods  of  this  world  and  learn  to  long  for  the  goods 
of  eternity.  Could  envy  subsist  in  a  heart  detached  from  this  world? 
You  will  never  be  jealous  because  others  possess  goods  which  you  have 
learned  to  despise.  The  third  means  is  to  speak  well  of  the  person 
who  excites  your  jealousy,  to  praise  his  good  qualities  and  virtues,  to 
defend  him  against  those  that  blame  and  censure  him.  The  fourth 
means  is  to  impose  upon  yourself  a  penance  every  time  you  have  given 
way  to  the  temptation  of  envy.  The  fifth  means  is  to  remember  that 
the  envious  man  is  hated  and  despised  by  all ;  that  he  is  unfortunate  in 
this  life  through  the  pains  and  torments  he  causes  to  himself,  and  that 
he  will  be  still  more  miserable  in  the  next  life.  The  sixth  and  most 
salutary  means  is  to  imbue  your  spirit  with  the  doctrine  and  example 
of  Jesus  Christ,  whose  charity  was  endless,  and  remember  that  you 
cannot  be  His  disciples  if  you  do  not  love  one  another,  and  that  charity 
cannot  live  where  envy  reigns. 

These  means,  assisted  by  grace,  will  be  sufficient  to  correct  you  of 
this  passion.  Though  it  is  a  very  difficult  vice  to  cure,  nothing  is  im- 
possible to  the  grace  of  God.  Put  all  your  confidence  in  God,  and 
when  you  feel  the  temptation  of  envy  arising  in  your  heart,  be  prompt 
in  repelling  it ;  exercise  yourselves  in  the  practice  of  the  virtue  that  is 
opposed  to  it ;  often  examine  your  conscience  on  the  duty  of  fraternal 
charity,  and  I  do  not  doubt  that  you  can  root  envy  entirely  out  of  your 
soul ;  or,  if  not,  you  will  succeed  at  least  in  diminishing  its  effects ; 
and  this  is  the  grace  which  I  wish  you  with  all  my  heart.     Amen. 


XII.     INSTRUCTION 

On    Gluttony 

Gluttony  is  an  inordinate  love  of  eating  and  drinking.  We  say 
an  inordinate  love.  One  sins  in  eating  and  drinking  only  when  one 
indulges  in  these  to  excess  or  for  a  bad  purpose.  There  are,  there- 
fore, two  kinds  of  gluttony:  the  one  of  food,  the  other  of  drink.  The 
first  is  gluttony,  properly  speaking,  the  second  is  called  drunkenness. 
We  will  speak  of  each  in  turn. 
15 


226  THIRD  PART.     XII.   INSTRUCTION 

I.  On  Gluttony  in  Food. —  You  may  sin:  ist.  By  eating  too 
much ;  2d.  By  eating  from  mere  sensuality ;  3d.  By  eating  at  all  times 
and  without  necessity. 

Gluttony  is  often  only  a  venial  sin,  but  there  are  three  cases  when 
it  may  become  mortal.  It  is  a  mortal  sin:  ist.  If  the  excess  in  eating 
is  of  such  a  nature  as  to  injure  your  health  ;  3d.  If  your  passion  for 
exquisite  food  is  so  great  that  you  incur  expenses  much  above  your 
condition  in  order  to  procure  it.  Then  we  may  say  with  St.  Paul,  that 
your  belly  is  the  god  which  you  adore:  Whose ^od  is  their  belly  (Phil. 
III.  19).  3d.  If,  in  order  to  satisfy  your  appetite,  you  transgress,  or 
intend  to  transgress,  in  a  grievous  matter,  one  of  the  commandments 
of  God  or  of  the  Church,  such  as  fast  or  abstinence. 

Gluttony  is  a  greater  vice  than  we  often  imagine,  and  it  is  often 
attended  with  the  most  deplorable  consequences.  Nothing  is  better 
calculated  to  bring  on  sickness,  to  destroy  health,  and  shorten  life. 
The  Holy  Ghost  says  :  In  many  meats  there  will  be  sickness, 
by  surfeiting  many  have  perished  (Eccl.  xxxvii.  33—34).  Nothing 
contributes  more  to  darken  and  stupefy  the  mind,  and  to  render  it 
incapable  of  applying  itself  to  serious  labor ;  nothing  is  more  calcu- 
lated to  heat  the  blood,  to  inflame  the  passions,  and  to  lead  us  to  the 
most  shameful  disorders. 

To  preserve  yourselves  against  this  vice,  employ  the  following 
means:  ist.  Take  your  meals  with  temperance  and  moderation,  con- 
tenting yourselves  with  what  is  necessary,  and  carefully  avoiding 
sensuality  in  the  selection  of  your  food.  If  the  dishes  that  are  served 
are  good  and  agreeable  to  the  taste,  be  thankful  to  the  Lord;  if  they 
are  only  ordinary  food,  accept  them  without  murmuring  and  com- 
plaint. 

2d.  Have  a  fixed  hour  for  your  meals,  and  do  not  spend  too  much 
time  in  eating.  There  are  other  duties  to  which  you  can  better  devote 
your  time,  and  it  is  a  disorder  to  live  without  a  rule,  to  eat  and  drink 
at  any  hour,  by  a  kind  of  mere  instinct,  rather  than  by  reason. 

3d.  During  meals,  nourish  your  mind  at  the  same  time  by  good 
and  salutary  reading  or  conversation.  We  are  Christians  and  let  us 
always  keep  ourselves  occupied  with  Christian  sentiments.  Let  us  not 
forget  the  words  of  our  Lord  that  "  man  does  not  live  by  bread  alone, 
but  by  every  word  that  goes  forth  from  the  mouth  of  God.^* 

4th.  Never  fail  to  say  grace  before  and  after  meals.  Our  Lord 
Himself  gave  us  the  example  of  this  at  the  time  of  the  multiplication 


ON   GLUTTONY  227 

of  the  loaves  of  bread,  and  later  on  at  the  Last  Supper.  In  imitation 
of  our  divine  Master,  the  first  Christians  blessed  God  at  the  beginning 
and  at  the  end  of  their  meals.  Even  the  pagans  were  faithful  in  the 
observance  of  this  pious  practice  and  invoked  the  false  gods  before 
their  meals.  Is  it  not  a  deplorable  thing  to  see  so  many  Christians 
who  have  abandoned  this  pious  and  ancient  custom,  and  who,  like 
animals,  partake  of  the  gifts  of  heaven  without  raising  their  heads  to 
thank  God  for  the  food  He  gives  them.? 

5th.  Finally,  unite  mortification  with  sobriety,  as  the  saints  always 
did  "who,**  as  St.  Gregor.y  says,  **  often  abstained  from  things  per-, 
mitted  in  order  to  keep  themselves  more  easily  from  those  that  are  for- 
bidden.*' It  is  to  you  especially,  wealthy  persons,  that  these  words 
are  addressed.  Instead  of  listening  only  to  your  sensuality,  and  living 
in  the  refinements  of  luxury  and  of  fine  food,  think  of  the  poor  who 
lack  the  necessities  of  life,  who  hunger  and  thirst,  and  who,  as  Laza- 
rus in  the  Gospel,  may  even  now  be  sitting  at  your  door  and  would 
most  willingly  take  the  crumbs  which  fall  from  your  table.  Curtail 
all  superfluous  expensive  food,  and  aid  the  poor.  To  give  food  to  the 
poor  is  to  offer  it  to  God  Himself,  from  whom  you  have  received  it, 
and  you  will,  thereby,  draw  down  upon  yourselves  His  blessings  and 
graces,  and  expiate  the  sins  you  have  committed. 

II.  On  Drunkenness. — Drunkenness,  the  second  kind  of  gluttony, 
is  excess  in  drinking.  This  is,  unfortunately,  one  of  the  most  common 
vices.  Would  it  were  given  to  me  to  depict  to  you  this  vice  in  colors 
frightful  enough  to  inspire  you  with  the  horror  it  deserves ! 

Drunkenness  is  a  very  fatal  vice  and  fruitful  in  many  misfortunes. 
It  impairs  one's  health,  ruins  one's  fortune,  causes  the  loss  of  reason 
and  is  the  beginning  of  many  crimes. 

ist.  //  Impairs  Health. — Intemperance,  says  the  Holy  Ghost,  causes, 
more  people  to  die  than  wars.  The  blood  becomes  heated,  strength 
is  soon  lost,  and  even  the  most  vigorous  temperament  is  gradually 
undermined,  and  soon  entirely  ruined.  The  drunkard  does  not  live 
to  a  good  old  age ;  if  he  sometimes  advances  in  years,  it  is  a  sad  and 
miserable  old  age,  bowed  down  with  pain  and  infirmities.  Drunken- 
ness often  causes  sudden  death,  and,  according  to  the  testimony  of 
physicians,  it  is  astonishing  that  apoplexy  is  not  more  frequent  among 
people  addicted  to  drink. 

2d.  //  Ruins  One' s  Fortune. —  We  see  proofs  of  this  every  day. 
How  many  families  are  reduced  to  want  on  account  of  this  dreadful 


2  28  THIRD   PART.      XII.   INSTRUCTION 

passion!  It  is  in  the  saloons  that  the  drunken  man  blindly  offers 
himself  as  bail,  or  rashly  gives  his  signature,  and  binds  himself  to  pay 
the  debt  of  another.  It  is  when  a  man  is  filled  with  liquor  that 
designing  persons  can  do  almost  anything  with  him ;  they  buy  from 
him  at  low  figures,  and  sell  to  him  at  outrageous  prices.  He  does  not 
know  what  he  says,  or  to  what  he  binds  himself.  In  a  few  moments, 
he  loses  the  result  of  long  and  hard  labor.  How  many  workmen 
spend  in  one  day  all  that  they  have  gained  in  a  week !  How  many 
have  already  drunk  up  their  wages  before  the  end  of  the  year !  How 
many  children  rob  their  parents  and  pillage  their  homes  for  the  sole 
pleasure  of  delivering  themselves  up  to  drink !  How  many  parents 
permit  their  children  to  live  in  filth  and  ignorance,  to  suffer  from 
hunger,  while  they  themselves  pass  days  and  nights  in  saloons! 
Drunkenness  is  one  of  the  great  plagues  of  society.  Many  a  family 
is  engulfed  in  this  yawning  abyss.  If  there  are  so  many  beggars  at 
our  doors,  drunkenness  is  the  cause.  It  is  not  so  often  work  that  is 
w^an'ting,  but  temperance  and  economy.  Young  men,  proud  of  their 
strength  and  ability,  forget  to  lay  up  for  the  future;  they  squander 
their  wages  in  drink,  and  when  illness  or  some  other  reverse  of  for- 
tune comes,  there  is  no  other  resource  but  the  poorhouse  or  beggary. 

3d.  Drunkenness  Darkens  the  Mind  and  Causes  the  Loss  of  Rea- 
son.—  The  vapors  which  rise  to  the  brain  of  the  drunkard  cloud  his 
understanding.  He  knows  neither  what  he  says,  nor  what  he  does, 
whence  he  comes,  nor  whither  he  goes.  His  tongue  can  only  stammer, 
Kis  head  is  a  weight  that  oppresses  him,  his  legs  refuse  to  carry  him, 
he  tumbles  and  staggers  at  every  step.  If  nobody  were  there  to  assist 
him,  he  would  roll  in  the  mud  like  a  vile  animal,  and  he  would  pass 
the  night  exposed  to  all  the  inclemencies  of  the  season.  He  is  no 
longer  a  man,  he  is  a  beast;  he  is  worse  than  a  beast,  for  animals  do 
not  generally  take  more  than  they  need. 

Christian  wives,  you  that  have  husbands  of  this  character,  how 
often  have  you  not  experienced  the  truth  of  what  I  say  ?  How  many 
times  have  you  not  been  the  innocent  victims  of  the  brutality  and  fury 
of  the  one  who  ought  to  be  your  friend  and  support  ?  Oh !  if  I  have 
any  advice  to  give  you,^  is  to  say  nothing,  but  to  wait  with  Christian 
patience  and  resignation  for  more  favorable  moments.  Your  husband 
is  not  capable  of  listening  to  reason  ;  to-morrow^,  perhaps,  when  the 
fumes  of  liquor  have  disappeared,  when  reason  has  returned,  he  will 
listen  to  your  advice  and  charitable  remonstrances. 


ON  GLUTTONY 


229 


4th.  Drunkenness  Is  a  Source  of  Crime. —  It  leads  to  injustice  and 
theft.  A  husband  appropriates  to  himself  what  ought  to  serve  for  the 
support  of  his  family,  his  wife  and  children,  and  he  spends  it  in  drink; 
a  woman,  who  unfortunately  is  addicted  to  this  vice,  all  the  more  dis- 
gusting in  persons  of  her  sex,  uses  all  manner  of  artifices  to  get  hold  of 
what  belongs  only  to  her  husband ;  children  steal  from  their  parents, 
servants  rob  their  masters  to  be  able  to  gratify  their  thirst  for  drink. 
The  voice  of  conscience  is  smothered,  and  all  the  sentiments  of  honor 
and  honesty  are  driven  out.  Given  up  to  idleness  and  laziness,  the 
drunkard  does  not  wish  to  work  and,  nevertheless,  he  desires  to  live 
luxuriously. 

Drunkenness  gives  rise  to  anger  and  quarrels.  The  least  word,  the 
least  contradiction,  disturbs  the  drunkard  and  drives  him  into  a  fury. 
If  you  so  often  see  and  hear  of  disputes  and  conflicts  among  young 
men,  and  even  sometimes  among  older  persons,  what  is  the  cause.''  It 
is  the  excess  of  drink.  When  peace  no  longer  reigns  in  the  house- 
hold, when  the  wife,  crushed  with  insults  and  outrages,  flies  intp  a 
passion  and  turns  against  her  husband,  what  is  the  cause.''  It  is 
drink.  When  the  young  man  no  longer  respects  his  father  or  mother, 
when  he  has  only  hard  and  rough  words  for  them,  when  he  even 
dares  to  revolt  against  them,  what  is  the  cause?  It  is  drink.  How 
many  sufferings  are  the  consequence  of   intemperance ! 

Drunkenness  is  followed  by  neglect  and  forgetfulness  of  all  the  duties 
towards  God,  and  brings  on  a  kind  of  impiety.  The  drunkard  no  longer 
practices  the  holy  exercise  of  prayer;  he  no  longer  goes  to  the  sacra- 
ments, or  if  he  receives  them,  it  is  only  to  profane  them.  Instead  of 
keeping  the  Sunday  holy,  he  passes  it  in  debauchery ;  he  hardly  ever 
appears  in  church,  and  if  he  does,  he  behaves  without  respect  or 
modesty.  The  enemy  of  God's  ministers,  who  censure  his  scandal- 
ous conduct,  he  pursues  them  with  criticisms  and  calumnies.  Noth- 
ing is  sacred  to  him.  He  insults  God  Himself  with  curses  and 
blasphemies. 

Drunkenness  is  the  mother  of  itnpurity.  The  apostle  St.  Paul 
says:  Be  not  drunk  with  ivine,  wherein  is  luxury  (Ephes.  v.  18). 
St.  Jerome  affirms  that  a  drunkard  can  never  be  chaste:  "Never, 
never  will  I  believe  that  a  man  addicted  to  liquor  and  a  frequenter  of 
saloons  is  a  chaste  man."  How  can  he  be  chaste  when  he  is  aban- 
doned by  grace,  influenced  by  liquor,  and  given  up  to  all  the  heats  of 
concupiscence,  to  all  the  fire  of  the  passions? 


230 


THIRD   PART.      XII.    INSTRUCTION 


This  degrading  vice  is  a  disgrace  to  religion  and  to  society.  Need 
we  be  astonished  at  the  anathema  with  which  the  Holy  Ghost  brands 
it?  Woe  to  you  that  rise  up  early  in  the  morning  to  follow  drunkenness 
(Is.  V.  11).  Woe  to  you,  for  never  shall  you  enter  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  :  N'or  drunkards  shall  possess  the  kingdom  of  God  (I.  Cor.  vi. 
10).  The  Lord  has  sworn  in  His  wrath,  and  you  shall  carry  your  in- 
iquity to  the  grave.  If  you  do  not  do  sincere  penance.  He  will  never 
pardon  you.  Surely  the  iniquity  shall  not  be  forgiven  you  till  you  die 
(Is.  XXII.  11). 

Do  you  not  dread  the  effect  of  these  terrible  threats,  you  who  are 
the  accomplices  of  drunkards,  you  who  shelter  them  and  furnish  them 
^th  everything  that  can  feed  their  brutal  passion  ;  you  who  give 
them  to  drink  at  every  hour,  and  in  whatever  state  they  may  find 
themselves,  who  permit  your  saloons  to  be  open  during  divine  service, 
and  at  any  hour  of  the  night,  who  receive  indifferently  all  kinds  of  per- 
sons, of  whatever  age  and  sex  they  may  be,  you  who  tolerate  in  your 
place  dancing  and  obscene  songs,  who  do  not  respect  either  fast  or  ab- 
stinence? Ah!  beware;  you  assume  a  fearful  responsibility,  and  the 
day  will  come  when  you  shall  have  to  render  a  dreadful  account  to 
God. 

Unfortunate  slaves  of  drunkenness,  have  I  not  told  you  enough  to 
inspire  you  with  horror  of  such  an  ugly  and  fatal  vice?  Both  your 
temporal  and  eternal  welfare  are  at  stake.  Your  fortune,  your  health, 
your  reputation,  the  peace  of  your  household,  are  at  stake.  There  is 
question  of  an  eternity  of  happiness  or  of  misery.  Fly  the  vice  of 
intemperance,  fly  the  places  and  persons  who  might  be  for  you  an 
occasion  of  excess,  fly  those  companies  of  debauchery  with  whom 
you  cannot  associate  without  falling  into  your  old  and  evil  habits. 
Practice  temperance  and  sobriety.  Remember  that  you  are  disciples 
of  a  God-man  to  whom  gall  and  vinegar  was  given  to  drink  upon 
Calvary ;  of  a  God-man  whose  mortal  life  has  been  a  continual  suffer- 
ing, and  that  it  is  only  through  the  mortification  of  the  senses  and 
the  crucifying  of  the  flesh  that  you  can  have  a  share  in  the  happi- 
ness which  He  has  prepared  for  you  and  which  He  has  promised  to  us 
all.     Amen , 


ON   ANGER  231 


XIII.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Anger 


I.  Anger  is  an  inordinate  excitement  of  temper,  which  causes  us 
to  fly  into  passion  at  what  hurts  and  displeases  us. 

To  be  angry  at  what  displeases  us  is  not  always  sin.  There  is  a 
holy  anger  excited  in  us  through  the  horror  we  have  at  any  offense 
to  God,  and  which,  far  from  being  criminal,  is  often  very  praise- 
worthy, and  even  necessary  for. the  honor  and  good  of  religion.  Such 
was  the  anger  of  Moses  when  he  broke  the  tables  of  the  Law,  on  see- 
ing the  idolatry  of  the  Israelites.  Such  was  the  anger  of  our  divine 
Saviour,  when  He  ignominiously  drove  from  the  temple  those  who 
profaned  its  sanctity.  You  do  not  sin  by  anger  when,  to  hinder  an 
evil,  especially  in  the  case  of  children,  or  of  servants,  you  arm  your- 
selves with  a  holy  zeal  to  correct  them.  There  are  even  circumstances 
where  you  would  sin,  if  you  did  not  vigorously  chastise  certain  faults, 
as  in  the  case  of  Heli,  whose  too  great  indulgence  towards  his  chil- 
dren was  followed  by  a  terrible  punishment.  Still,  when  you  are 
obliged  to  show  indignation  and  anger,  you  must  act  with  the  great- 
est prudence.  But  unlawful  anger,  which  is  one  of  the  seven  capital 
sins,  springs  from  an  evil  principle,  such  as  selfishness,  sensuality,  or 
gluttony,  and  is  not  directed  towards  a  good  end,  nor  to  God's  glory. 
Such  is  the  anger  of  those  proud  persons  who  cannot  bear  any  contra- 
diction, who  fly  into  passion  at  the  least  remonstrance,  and  who  be- 
come excited  at  the  least  sharp  word.  Such  is  the  anger  of  those 
sensual  and  delicate  people,  who  seek,  at  all  times  and  everywhere, 
their  own  ease  and  convenience,  and  who  become  excited,  break  out 
into  complaints  and  invectives,  at  everything  that  crosses  them. 
Such  is  the  anger  of  a  father,  of  a  mother,  who  permit  themselves 
to  be  carried  away  to  curses  and  violence,  because  a  child,  which  has 
hardly  attained  the  use  of  reason,  has  damaged  some  furniture,  soiled 
or  torn  a  dress,  or  committed  some  other  fault  very  pardonable  at 
its  age.  Such  is  the  anger  of  a  driver,  for  instance,  who  curses  and 
beats  a  poor  animal  which  is  unable  to  draw  a  heavy  load. 

II.  No  one  will  deny  that  anger  is  a  great  evil.  It  makes  man 
an  enemy  of  himself,  an  enemy  to  his  neighbor  to  whom  the  angry 
person  becomes  unbearable,  and,  finally,  an  enemy  of  God  whose  dis- 
pleasure it  draws  down. 


232 


THIRD  PART,      XIII.   INSTRUCTION 


1st.  The  essential  character  which  distinguishes  man  from  the 
beast  is  reason.  Now,  there  is  nothing  that  troubles  and  darkens  this 
divine  light  of  men  so  much  as  anger.  Look  at  the  man  who  always 
allows  himself  to  be  carried  away  by  this  violent  passion ;  he  is  beside 
himself,  he  listens  to  no  remonstrance,  he  vents  his  fury  on  the  in- 
nocent as  well  as  on  the  guilty.  He  maltreats  his  wife,  his  children, 
his  servants,  under  the  least  pretext ;  he  trembles  as  if  he  were  drunk, 
his  face  is  at  one  time  red  and  enflamed,  at  another  pale  and  livid ;  his 
looks  are  frightful ;  his  gestures,  his  movements  are  like  the  convul- 
sions of  a  madman ;  his  voice  is  only  heard  in  curses  and  blasphemies. 

Anger  is  a  state  of  trouble,  of  agitation,  which,  instead  of  giving 
pleasure,  serves  only  to  render  life  bitter  and  painful.  It  inspires 
revenge  and  leads  to  quarrels  and  lawsuits,  at  once  hurtful  to  peace 
and  to  fortune.  It  is  not  less  prejudicial  to  health,  it  agitates  the 
mind,  it  heats  the  blood,  it  exhausts  strength,  and  it  may  even  cause 
sudden  death. 

2d.  Anger  renders  us  intolerable  to  our  fellow-men.  Man  is  made 
to  live  in  society,  and  society  cannot  be  agreeable  except  peace  and 
union  reign  throughout.  What  pleasure  could  one  find  in  the  company 
of  him  who  flies  into  passion  at  the  least  pain  or  contradiction,  who 
cannot  suffer  anything  and  pardons  nothing  ?  Life  is  bitter  and  peace 
is  impossible  with  a  man  who,  like  a  wild  animal,  seems  always  ready 
to  bite  and  devour. 

Anger  is  the  most  frequent  cause  of  those  quarrels  and  discords 
and  implacable  enmities  which  break  out  in  the  bosom  of  families 
and  among  persons  who  are  united  by  ties  of  relationship  or  friend- 
ship. It  inclines  man  to  hatred  and  revenge,  whence  arise  detrac- 
tions and  calumnies,  injuries  and  outrages,  disputes  and  lawsuits, 
conspiracies  and  murders. 

3d.  Anger  draws  down  upon  us  the  displeasure  and  enmity  of  God. 
The  spirit  of  God  is  a  spirit  of  peace,  which  makes  its  dwelling  in 
homes  of  peace  and  not  in  those  of  trouble.  Jesus,  the  Prince  of 
Peace,  came  into  this  world  to  bring  peace  :  He  shall  not  cry,  says  the 
prophet  Isaias,  and  his  voice  shall  not  be  heard  abroad;  the  bruised 
reed  he  shall  not  break,  and  smoking  Jiax  he  shall  not  quench  (Is.  xlii. 
3),  Jesus  taught  us  by  His  example  as  well  as  by  His  words,  to  be 
meek  and  humble  of  heart,  and  He  assures  us  that  the  happiness  of 
heaven  is  for  the  peaceful.  Does  this  spirit  of  peace  and  charity 
reign  in  the  heart  of  the  angry  man,  in  souls  of  persons  subject  to  fits 


ON  ANGER  233 

of  fury,  who,  like  volcanoes,  are  always  in  danger  of  erupting?  Surely 
it  is  not  the  spirit  of  God  that  reigns  in  such  souls;  it  is  the  spirit  of 
darkness,  it  is  the  devil  himself,  as  the  apostle  St.  Paul  teaches  us  : 
Give  not  place  to  the  devil  (Ephes.  iv.  27).  Oh,  consider  the  dread- 
ful judgment  which  Jesus  Christ  pronounces  against  angry  persons ! 
Whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother  merits  to  be  condemned  by  the 
tribunal  of  judgment ;  and  whosoever  in  his  anger  treats  his  brother 
as  a  fool  merits  the  torment  of  hell  fire  :  Shall  be  in  danger  of  hell  fire 
(Matt.  V.  22).  As  in  all  other  vices,  there  are  in  anger  various  degrees 
of  malice.  Anger  is  not  always  a  mortal  sin;  but  it  is  always  very 
dangerous  and  leads  into  grievous  faults.  And  still  there  are  many 
who  do  not  make  it  a  matter  of  confession,  or  who  accuse  themselves 
of  it  without  any  contrition,  and  without  purpose  of  amendment. 

III.   Let  us  consider  the  means  of  correcting  anger. 

The  first  means  is  a  firm  resolution  to  avoid  anger.  It  is  not  with 
diseases  of  the  soul  as  with  diseases  of  the  body.  Some  corporal  dis- 
eases are  incurable;  but  there  is  no  disease  of  the  soul  that  cannot  be 
cured  with  the  help  of  God's  grace.  Whatever  may  be  the  vivacity 
of  your  temper,  however  deeply  rooted  the  habit  of  anger  may  be,  it 
depends  only  on  you  to  apply  the  remedy.  Why  should  reason  and 
religion  not  do  in  your  soul  (if  you  will  permit  the  comparison)  what 
training  does  to  animals?  By  skill  and  patience  and  long  training, 
bears,  lions,  tigers  are  tamed  and  made  tractable.  Do  you  believe 
that,  with  a  sincere  and  firm  will,  you  cannot  also  mitigate  and  soften 
the  violence  of  your  character  ?  You  are  quick  and  fiery,  you  say,  but 
how  many  saints  have  been  more  fiery  than  you,  such  as  Francis  of 
Sales;  but  who,  nevertheless,  became  models  of  meekness?  They 
were  saints,  you  may  say.  Yes,  but  it  was  in  combating  their  pas- 
sions that  they  became  saints. 

A  second  means  of  overcoming  anger  is  to  consider  that  we  are 
all  condemned  to  suffer ;  that  whether  through  malice,  ignorance  or 
weakness,  the  persons  with  whom  you  have  to  live  will  always  be  for 
you  a  cause  of  contradiction ;  that  your  affairs,  labors,  and  projects 
will  rarely  succeed  exactly  according  to  your  desires,  and  that,  willing 
or  unwilling,  you  must  either  carry  your  cross  or  drag  it.  If  you  are 
resigned  to  the  will  of  God  and  accept  all  trials  with  patience,  God 
will  assist  you  to  bear  your  cross,  and  you  will  acquire  great  treasures 
of  merits  for  heaven ;  but  if  you  complain  in  your  sufferings  and  fly 
into  a  passion  at  every  contradiction,  your  cross  only  becomes  heavier, 


234 


THIRD   PART.      XIII.   INSTRUCTION 


and  you  fall  into  an  abyss  of  sins.  Be  ready  to  meet  trials  and  contra- 
dictions every  day  in  your  life.      A  foreseen  blow  does  less  harm. 

A  third  means  of  overcoming  anger  is  to  exercise  yourselves  in 
the  practice  of  meekness  and  patience.  Repress  the  first  movements 
of  anger,  raise  your  mind  to  God  and  ask  Him  for  patience.  Keep 
silence  when  you  are  tempted  to  anger  and  do  not  say  a  word  as  long 
as  you  feel  your  heart  agitated.  Whatever  you  would  say  would  only 
exasperate  you  the  more.  Even  if  you  have  good  reasons  for  your 
anger,  it  is  better  to  keep  silence,  as  long  as  you  perceive  that  the 
person  with  whom  you  have  to  do  is  not  disposed  to  listen. 
It  is  with  anger  as  with  fire.  The  more  material  you  put 
thereon,  the  more  fiercely  it  burns.  The  life  of  St.  Francis  of  Sales 
furnishes  us  a  remarkable  example  of  this.  A  young  man  who  was 
beside  himself  with  anger  against  the  holy  bishop,  came  to  see  him 
and  began  to  upbraid  him  with  all  that  hatred  and  rage  could  suggest 
to  him.  Threats,  injuries,  curses,- — nothing  was  forgotten.  But  St. 
Francis  said  not  a  word.  The  furious  young  man,  exasperated  at 
meeting  no  resistance,  withdrew,  and  soon  recognizing  his  wrong,  he 
returned  to  his  room,  threw  himself  at  the  feet  of  the  saint  and 
begged  his  pardon.  Employ  the  same  means,  my  brethren,  especially 
if  you  have  to  live  with  fiery  and  difficult  characters.  You  wives,  for 
example,  that  have  husbands  of  a  high  temper,  say  nothing  while  they 
are  angry  and  you  will  calm  them  much  quicker.  It  was  thus  that  St. 
Monica  used  to  act  toward  her  husband,  who  had  an  extremely  violent 
temper.  Whatever  bad  treatment  she  received,  she  never  complained, 
she  contented  herself  with  praying  for  him  and  she  ended  by  gaining 
him  to  Jesus  Christ.  Though  he  had  been  a  pagan  he  was  converted 
and  became  a  good  Christian. 

A  last  means  of  overcoming  anger,  is  to  look  up  to  Jesus,  your 
divine  model,  and  imitate  His  example.  Oh,  the  meekness  and  pa- 
tience of  Jesus!  He  w^as  overwhelmed  vv^ith  injuries  and  He  an- 
swered nothing ;  He  was  outraged  and  tormented,  but  He  opened  not 
His  mouth  to  complain.  Like  Jesus,  be  meek,  patient,  and  resigned. 
Suffer  for  the  love  of  Him,  as  He  has  suffered  for  the  love  of  you ; 
suffer  in  expiation  for  your  sins,  and  to  merit  the  reward  which  the 
Saviour  has  promised  to  the  peaceful  and  to  the  meek  of  heart,  when 
He  said  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  belongs  to  them.     Amen. 


ON  SLOTH  235 


XIV.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Sloth 

Sloth  is  a  disgust  for  the  things  of  God  or  for  the  duties  of  our 
state  of  life,  which  causes  us  to  omit  them  or  to  fulfill  them  in  a  care- 
less manner. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  sloth:  the  one  corporal,  the  other  spirit- 
ual. Corporal  sloth  is  that  which  inclines  us  to  laziness,  to  avoid 
labor,  to  love  rest  and  trifling  amusements.  Spiritual  sloth  makes  us 
neglect  prayer,  the  sacraments,  the  service  of  God  or  the  care  of  our 
salvation.     We  shall  speak  of  both  in  succession. 

I.  Corporal  Sloth. —  This  kind  of  sloth  is  generally  called  lazi- 
ness or  idleness.  It  is  a  greater  evil  than  is  often  believed.  It  is  an 
infraction  of  the  general  law  of  labor ;  it  injures  society  and  opens  the 
way  to  great  dangers. 

ist.  God  has  imposed  upon  all  men  the  obligation  of  leading  a  la- 
borious and  useful  life.  Man  is  born  to  labor ^  says  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
the  bird  is  to Jiy  (Job  v.  7).  From  the  very  beginning  man  was  con- 
demned to  labor  in  punishment  of  original  sin,  when  God  declared 
that  he  should  eat  his  bread  in  the  sweat  of  his  face  (Gen.  in.  17). 
He  is  also  obliged  to  labor  on  account  of  the  sins  he  commits  every 
day.  The  law  of  labor  is  a  general  law,  binding  upon  all  men,  the 
rich  as  well  as  the  poor ;  and  everything  in  nature  gives  us  an  ex- 
ample. The  sun  rises  every  day  to  give  light  to  the  world ;  the  earth 
yearly  produces  fruits  to  nourish  us ;  the  animals  are  constantly  in 
movement  to  suppy  their  wants  and  ours;  the  angels  in  heaven  are  un- 
interruptedly occupied  in  the  sublime  mystery  entrusted  to  them. 
Should  man  alone  be  exempted  from  this  great  law  of  labor?  Go  to 
the  ant,  O  sluggard,  says  the  wise  man,  and  she  will  teach  you  to  labor 
(Prov.  VI.  6). 

2d.  But  not  only  God  commands  us  to  work,  society  also  demands 
it  of  us ;  for  being  destined  to  live  in  society,  we  must  assist  one  an- 
other, each  according  to  his  condition.  There  are  in  society  different 
states  or  conditions  of  life,  such  as  agriculture,  the  profession  of  arms, 
commerce,  trade,  and  above  all  the  sacred  ministry.  Good  order  and 
even  the  very  existence  of  society,  require  this  variety,  for  if  every- 
body were  to  till  the  land,  how  could  we  live?  If  there  were  no  sol- 
diers, who  would  defend  our  frontiers  and  who  would  protect  us  against 


236 


THIRD   PART.      XIV.   INSTRUCTION 


invasion  ?  If  there  were  no  merchants,  how  could  we  procure  the 
necessities  of  life?  And  if  there  were  no  trades,  how  could  we  lodge 
and  dress  ourselves?  And  if  there  were  no  priests  to  instruct  us  in 
religion,  who  would  reconcile  us  to  God  in  confession,  and  who  would 
open  the  gates  of  heaven  for  us?  Each  one  must,  therefore,  labor  in 
the  state  in  which  he  finds  himself,  otherwise  he  would  be  a  useless 
member  of  society.  He  would  be  like  the  drone  which  devours  the 
honey  of  the  working  bee ;  like  a  w^eed  which  draws  up  the  sap  neces- 
sary for  the  useful  plants ;  he  would  not  labor  for  anybody,  whilst 
everybody  else  would  labor  for  him! 

3d.  Another  reason  which  prompts  us  to  work,  are  the  dangers  to 
w^hich  idleness  exposes  us.  Oh,  the  tediousness,  inconstancy,  and  un- 
easiness into  which  idleness  throws  us!  No  man  is  more  burdensome 
to  himself  than  he  who  has  nothing  to  do.  The  Holy  Ghost  says  : 
Idleness  hath  taught  much  evil  (Eccl.  xxxiii.  29).  Idleness  is  the 
source  of  many  vices.  This  is  a  sad  truth  which  the  experience  of 
every  day  confirms.  What  led  the  holy  king  David  into  adultery  and 
homicide?  Idleness.  And  what  is  it  that  casts  so  many  souls  into 
hell?  Idleness.  Impure  thoughts  assail  the  idle  man.  Just  as  the 
stagnant  water  brings  forth  all  kinds  of  reptiles,  so  also  an  idle  soul 
begets  all  kinds  of  vices.  When  does  the  devil  attack  you  the  most, 
my  dear  brethren?  When  does  he  trouble  your  imagination  and 
push  you  on  towards  evil?  Is  it  not  when  you  are  idle?  Intemper- 
ate and  lecherous  men,  when  is  it  that  you  give  yourselves  up  the  most 
to  your  guilty  excesses?  Is  it  not  on  days  of  rest,  on  days  when  you 
are  idle?  Worldly  women  when  do  you  sin  most  against  charity,  when 
do  you  render  yourselves  most  guilty  of  calumny  and  criticisms  ?  Is  it 
when  you  stay  at  home  with  your  family,  occupied  with  your  children 
and  with  the  various  cares  of  your  household ;  or  is  it  when  you  aban- 
don your  work,  and  frequent  the  society  of  persons  idle  like  yourselves? 

If  you  wish  to  preserve  yourselves  in  virtue  and  work  seriously  for 
your  salvation,  it  is  important  to  acquire  habits  of  diligence.  Labor  is 
an  excellent  remedy  against  the  diseases  of  the  soul  and  the  attacks  of 
the  devil :  **  Let  the  devil  find  thee  always  busy,**  said  a  Father  of  the 
Church.  Labor  is  necessary  to  rich  and  poor,  to  young  and  old,  but 
especially  to  the  young.  If  you  are  rich,  work  for  the  poor ;  if  your 
health  is  delicate,  or  if  your  condition  in  life  exempts  you  from  hard 
labor,  keep  yourselves  occupied  in  works  of  the  mind  or  of  the  body, 
becoming  to  your  state. 


ON   SLOTH  237 

But  it  is  not  enough  to  labor,  it  is  also  necessary  to  labor  with 
supernatural  motives  in  order  to  be  pleasing  to  God  and  to  lay  up 
merits  for  heaven.  Labor  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  expiation  of 
your  sins,  in  order  that  your  work  may  be  agreeable  to  God  and  useful 
to  your  soul;  offer  the  work  of  the  day  to  God  every  morning  on 
rising,  and  renew  the  offering  during  the  day.  If  fatigue,  or 
heat,  or  bad  weather  make  your  work  harder,  think  of  the  labors  and 
fatigues  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Master  and  our  model ;  think  of  the  sins 
you  have  committed  and  which  you  can  expiate  by  labor.  You  will 
thus  avoid  sins  which  are  so  often  committed  in  working,  such  as  swear- 
ing, cursing,  obscene  songs  or  lewd  conversation,  and  you  will  draw 
down  the  blessings  of  heaven  upon  all  your  undertakings  and  all  your 
labors. 

II.  On  Spiritual  Sloth. —  Spiritual  sloth  is  also  called  luke- 
warmness  and  indifference. 

I  St.  The  state  of  lukewarmness  is  unfortunately  only  too  common. 
How  many  indolent  Christians  there  are  who,  occupied  only  with  the 
things  of  this  life,  forget  the  things  of  eternity !  How  many  Christians 
without  devotion  and  without  piety  who  omit  their  prayers  almost  alto- 
gether, or  who  say  them  without  attention  and  without  fervor ;  who 
assist  at  Mass  only  on  days  of  precept,  and  even  then  with  languor  and 
disgust,  longing  for  the  moment  when  they  can  leave;  who  never  assist 
at  Vespers  and  other  services  of  the  parish,  and  thus  pass  the  entire 
Sunday  without  thinking  of  God  or  their  soul  !  How  many  cowardly 
souls  who  hardly  ever  appear  at  the  holy  table,  or  who  approach  it 
only  with  indifference  and  lukewarmness  !  Indifference  is  the  curse 
of  our  century;  the  plague  of  religion.  Was  there  ever  a  greater  for- 
getfulness  of  the  things  of  God?  Were  the  sacraments  ever  less  fre- 
quented and  the  churches  more  deserted  ?  Undoubtedly,  we  find  still 
many  faithful  to  the  teachings  of  their  childhood  and  who  practice  their 
religion,  but  also  how  many  are  there  who  have  abandoned  all  Chris- 
tian practice;  they  often  remain  in  a  deadly  sloth,  and  hardly  ever 
think  of  prayer  and  of  going  to  church  or  to  the  sacraments.  I  do  not 
speak  of  this  congregation  in  particular,  but  I  speak  in  general  and, 
except  one  has  lost  all  love  for  God  and  zeal  for  His  glory,  one  cannot 
look  at  such  a  deplorable  state  of  things  without  being  touched  to  the 
heart. 

2d.  Do  you  appreciate  the  danger  of  lukewarmness?  Ah!  says 
the  Lord,  through  the  mouth  of  St.  John,  the  Evangelist :  /  would 


238 


THIRD   PART.      XIV.   INSTRUCTION 


that  thou  wert  cold  or  hot  (Apoc.  iii.  15).  For  if  thou  wert  cold,  I 
would  take  thee  into  my  bosom  to  warm  thee,  and  if  thou  wert  hot, 
I  would  preserve  thee  in  this  state,  but  because  thou  art  lukewarm^  and 
neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  "will  begin  to  vomit  thee  out  of  my  mouth.  The 
state  of  spiritual  indifference  is  worse,  indeed,  in  certain  respects,  than 
the  state  of  sin.  A  sinner  fallen  into  mortal  sin  easily  recognizes  it, 
and  appreciates  his  miserable  situation  ;  he  feels  the  sting  of  remorse, 
and  is  disposed  to  do  penance.  But  the  indifferent  soul  does  not 
think  of  changing  his  life.  Not  committing  great  crimes,  it  seems  to 
him  that  his  state  is  not  very  guilty  before  God;  he  believes  himself 
above  reproach  and  is  perfectly  satisfied  with  himself.  Remonstrances 
have  no  effect  on  him.  You  may  announce  to  him  the  most  frightful 
truths;  you  may  represent  to  him  all  the  rigor  of  God's  judgments, 
you  may  remind  him  that  he  must  fulfill  the  whole  law  in  order  to  be 
saved  —  he  is  accustomed  to  this  language  ;  he  is  buried  in  his  apathy 
and  remains  insensible  to  all. 

If  the  indifferent  Christian  would  stop  at  lukewarmness  he  might 
avoid  grievous  faults.  But,  living  without  love  of  God,  and  without 
any  zeal  for  his  salvation,  he  is  constantly  in  danger  of  falling  insen- 
sibly into  the  greatest  disorders.  What  will  keep  him  back  from  the 
brink  of  the  precipice?  What  will  protect  him  and  save  him  in  so 
many  difficult  circumstances?  What  will  uphold  a  careless  soul  who 
fulfills  no  religious  duty  well,  who  hears  Mass  carelessly,  who  pro- 
fanes the  sacraments  by  insufficient  preparation,  or  who  neglects  them 
altogether?     The  ruin  of  a  lukewarm  soul  is  almost  certain. 

3d.  What  are  the  means  to  preserve  us  from  so  fatal  a  state? 

First,  examine  yourselves  well,  and  see  whether  you  find  yourselves 
in  this  unfortunate  situation.  Implore  the  light  of  heaven,  and  often 
say  with  St.  Augustine  :  "  O  Lord,  make  that  I  may  know  Thee  and 
know  myself!*^  How  many  there  are  who  are  plunged  in  the  most 
deplorable  lukewarmness,  who  live  in  a  complete  lethargy  for  many 
years,  and  who  do  not  believe  that  their  salvation  is  in  danger ! 

The  second  means  is  to  take  a  firm  resolution  to  abandon  as  soon 
as  possible  the  state  of  indifference,  and,  consequently,  to  combat  ener- 
getically all  obstacles  which  present  themselves.  The  most  common 
fault  of  lukewarm  persons  is  that  they  have  only  a  weak  desire  to  con- 
vert themselves,  and  they  are  afraid  of  the  least  difficulty.  Instead  of 
attacking  the  evil  at  its  root,  they  merely  trifle  with  it.  It  is  difficult 
to  rise  out  of  a  state  of  lukewarmness  and  sacrifices  must  be  made. 


ON  THE  DECALOGUE  IN  GENERAL  2^9 

The  third  and  last  means  is  by  practicing  the  very  things  the  neg- 
lect of  which  has  brought  you  into  this  sad  state.  How  did  you  fall 
into  lukewarmness?  By  neglecting  prayer  and  the  sacraments.  By 
falling  into  the  habit  of  venial  sin,  and  losing  the  fear  of  God,  and  by 
abandoning  all  the  practices  of  Christian  piety.  Commence  by  tak- 
ing up  again  the  practices  which  you  have  abandoned  —  prayer,  pious 
reading,  examination  of  conscience,  confession,  and  communion.  You 
were  careless  in  the  duties  of  your  state  of  life  —  excite  yourselves  to 
fervor  in  the  performance  of  these  duties ;  you  have  contracted  bad 
habits  —  correct  them  as  soon  as  possible. 

With  God's  grace  you  will  then  succeed  in  leaving  this  fatal  state 
of  lukewarmness,  and  you  will  return  into  the  way  of  piety  and  the 
faithful  and  fervent  fulfillment  of  the  Lord's  law,  and  merit  that  im- 
mortal crown  of  glory.      Amen. 


XV.     INSTRUCTION 
The  Decalogue  —  On  the  Decalogue  in  General 

The  word  Decalogue  is  derived  from  the  Greek  and  signifies  ten 
words  or  discourses.  These  are  the  ten  commandments  which  God 
gave  to  Moses  on  Mount  Sinai,  about  two  thousand  'years  after  the 
creation  of  the  world.  The  circumstances  of  this  memorable  event 
deserve  to  be  recalled. 

I.  It  was  already  three  months  since  the  people  of  Israel  had  been 
[  *.  /^iSl^^'^'"^^  from  the  bondage  of  Egypt,  when  they  came  to  the  foot 
o>^  Mount  Sinai.  God,  from  the  top  of  this  mountain,  called  Moses, 
His  servant,  and  charged  him  to  tell  the  people  that  if  they  desired  to.  . 
be  faithful  tcvHis  ordinances.  He  would  make  a  cov^ant  with  them,  ^^JIJw^ 
*^^  and  would  select  them  as  His  beloved  people  and  as  His  favorite 
nation.  The  people  of  Israel  having  answered  unanimously  that 
they  would  do  all  that  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  ordain,  God  again 
told  them  through  Moses  that  they  should  keep  themselves  ready  for 
the  third  day,  that  they  should   purify  themselves  and  fast,  because 


240 


THIRD  PART.      XV.    INSTRUCTION 


the  Lord  Himself  was  going  to  speak  to  them  from  the  top  of  the 
mountain. 

The  third  day  having  come,  behold  Mount  Sinai  was  covered  with 
a  thick  cloud ;  flashes  of  lightning  rent  the  sky,  the  thunder  roared, 
and  a  great  noise  of  trumpets  resounded  in  the  air.  Then  the  Lord, 
in  the  midst  of  a  whirlwind  of  fire,  spoke  thus  to  the  astonished 
people  :  — 

I  atn  the  Lord  thy  God,  who  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ^ 
out  of  the  house  of  bondage. 

1 .  Thou  shalt  not  have  strange  gods  before  me. 

2.  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain. 

3.  Remember  that  thou  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day. 

4.  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother. 

5.  Thou  shalt  not  kill. 

6.  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery. 

7.  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

8.  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbor. 

9.  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor'' s  wife. 

10.  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor'' s goods  (Ex.  xx.  2—17). 
But   God   did   not   content    Himself  with   the   announcing   of   the 

Ten  Commandments  before  the  assembled  people.  He  also  engraved 
them  upon  two  tables  of  stones.  He  commanded  Moses  to  ascend 
to  the  top  of  the  mountain,  which  was  still  hidden  by  a  thick  cloud, 
and  there  during  forty  days,  God  explained  to  him  the  Command- 
ments. 

11.  Why  this  solemn  promulgation  of  the  law  upon  Mount  Sinai  ? 
Had  this  law  not  been  given  to  man  since  the  beginning  of  the  world.? 
Was  it,  therefore,  necessary  to  give  it  again? 

It  is  true  that  God  in  creating  man  imprinted  in  his  soul  the 
knowledge  of  all  his  duties  to  his  Creator,  to  his  neighbor,  and  to  him- 
self.    We  call  this  the  Natural  Law. 

If  man  had  preserved  intact  the  deposit  of  all  these  moral  truths, 
such  as  they  had  been  intrusted  to  him  from  the  beginning,  undoubt- 
edly the  promulgation  of  Sinai  would  not  have  been  necessary. 

But  mankind  had  fallen  into  errors  and  disorders,  on  account  of  the 
sin  of  our  first  parents.  All  flesh  had  corrupted  its  way  upon  the  earth, 
says  Holy  Scripture  (Gen.  vi.  12),  in  speaking  of  the  men  who  lived 
during  Noah's  time.  It  needed  nothing  less  than  a  universal  deluge 
to  purify  the  earth  from  the  abomination  with  which  it  was  covered. 


.J^ 


ON  THE  DECALOGUE  IN  GENERAL 


241 


In  spite  of  this  terrible  chastisement,  after  men  had  multiplied  anew 
they  soon  forgot  their  duties,  as  well  as  the  truths  which  had  been  re- 
vealed to  them ;  and  to  such  an  extent  that  a  few  years  after  the  deluge, 
idolatry,  with  all  the  vices  that  accompany  it,  had  become  almost  gen- 
eral. This  is  why  God  in  His  supreme  wisdom  wished  to  remind  man 
of  the  law  which  He  had  given  to  him  from  the  beginning,  and  this 
time  with  all  precision  and  with  all  solemnity. 

But  why  was  the  law  engraved  upon  stone  ?  To  teach  us  that  it 
should  be  engraved  in  indelible  characters,  in  both  our  mind  and  heart ; 
that  it  is,  according  to  the  expression  of  the  prophet,  a  light  that  ought 
to  lighten  all  our  steps,  and  a  rule  to  which  we  ought  to  conform  all 
our  actions ;  that  this  law  is  unchangeable  and  eternal  as  its  author, 
because  it  is  justice  itself ;  because  the  laws  of  men  may  change,  but 
the  law  of  God  is  inviolable  and  absolutely  independent  of  customs 
and  climate,  obliging  all  men.  Catholics  or  non-Catholics,  Christians, 
pagans  or  infidels. 

And  why  was  the  law  engraved  on  two  tables  of  stone,  instead  of 
writing  it  entirely  upon  one  ?  Because  this  divine  law  has  two  princi- 
pal objects :  our  duties  towards  God,  and  our  duties  towards  our  neigh- 
bor or  towards  ourselves.  The  first  three  commandments  engraved 
upon  the  first  table  regard  only  God  alone,  and  the  last  seven, 
engraved  upon  the  second  table,  relate  to  ourselves  and  to  our  neighbor. 
We  must  not  confound  the  two  tables ;  for  although  charity  is  the 
basis  and  foundation  of  the  whole  law,  there  is,  nevertheless,  a  great 
difference  between  the  charity  we  owe  to  God,  the  Author  and  Creator 
of  all  things,  and  the  charity  we  owe  to  man,  a  creature  of  God. 

ni.  This  holy  and  adorable  law  sums  up  in  a  few  words  all  the 
duties  which  we  have  to  practice,  just  as  the  Creed  contains  all  we 
must  believe,  and  the  Lord's  Prayer  all  we  have  to  ask  for.  O  won- 
derful law  in  which  forty  centuries  have  not  found  a  fault  and  could 
not  change  one  jot !  O  perfect  law,  to  which  the  greatest  philoso- 
phers and  the  wisest  legislators  have  rendered  homage ! 

Our  duties  toward  this  divine  law  can  be  reduced  to  three:  To 
study  it,  to  meditate  on  it,  and  to  practice  it. 

ist.  We  must  study  the  divine  law.  We  cannot  observe  the  law 
without  knowing  it.  In  the  first  place  it  is  necessary  to  learn  the  let- 
ter of  the  law ;  hence  the  pious  practice  of  reciting  the  command- 
ments at  the  morning  or  evening  prayer,  in  order  never  to  forget 
them.  You  must,  moreover,  understand  the  spirit  of  the  law;  for  of 
16 


242 


THIRD   PART.      XV.   INSTRUCTION 


what  good  is  it  to  know  the  letter  of  the  law  without  the  meaning? 
Of  what  good  to  know  the  words  :  *•'-  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of 
the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain,'^  if  you  do  not  know  what  swearing  and 
blasphemy  is,  or  do  not  recognize  their  malice?  How  many  there  are 
who  do  not  know  even  these  first  elements  of  Christian  morality ! 
How  many  Christians  who  cannot  appreciate  either  the  merit  or  the 
malice  of  their  actions,  who  see  sins  where  there  are  no  sins,  and 
who  do  not  see  any  sin  where  there  is  sin ! 

It  is,  however,  very  easy  to  learn  the  law  of  God.  Assist  regu- 
larly at  the  instructions  which  are  given  in  the  parish  church  and 
listen  to  them  with  attention,  and  you  will  learn  all  that  you  ought 
to  know.  The  catechism  is  the  simple  and  familiar  explanation  of 
the  divine  law,  and  it  is  certainly  the  most  useful  instruction  for  all, 
children  and  parents,  servants  and  masters.  I  might  say,  for  the 
learned  as  well  as  for  the  ignorant,  because  there  is  always  some- 
thing new  to  learn  in  the  study  of  religion.  Simple  explanations  of 
Christian  doctrine  often  have  a  greater  effect  than  the  most  eloquent 
sermons. 

2d.  But  it  is  not  sufficient  to  know  the  letter  and  the  meaning  of 
the  law  of  God ;  we  must  also  make  it  the  subject  of  our  meditations. 
Moses  said  to  his  people  :  These  words  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord 
shall  be  in  thy  hearty  and  thou  shalt  tell  them  to  thy  children,  and  thou 
shalt  meditate  upon  them  sitting  in  thy  house,  and  walking  on  thy 
journey,  sleeping  and  rising.  And  thou  shalt  bind  them  as  a  sign 
on  thy  hand  and  they  shall  be  and  move  between  thy  eyes;  and  thou 
shalt  write  them  in  the  entry  and  on  the  doorposts  of  thy  house  (Deut. 
VI.  6-9).  The  royal  prophet  tells  us  that  he  meditated  day  and  night 
upon  the  law  of  God,  and  that  the  sweetness  which  he  found  in  it  sur- 
passed the  sweetness  of  honey  :  Sweeter  than  honey  and  the  honey- 
comb (Ps.  XVIII,  11);  that  its  value  was  in  his  eyes  incomparably 
above  gold  and  silver  :  The  law  of  thy  mouth  is  good  to  me,  above  thou- 
sands of  gold  and  silver  (Ps.  xcviii.  72)- 

Meditate  upon  this  holy  law  in  all  that  it  ordains  or  forbids  to  you. 
Meditate  upon  the  homage  and  adoration,  love  and  thankfulness 
which  you  owe  to  a  God  who  has  drawn  you  out  of  nothing,  created 
you  according  to  His  own  image  and  redeemed  you  at  the  price  of  His 
blood.  Meditate  upon  the  ties  of  nature  and  religion  which  unite  you 
to  your  fellow-men  whom  you  ought  to  regard  as  your  brothers,  and 
upon  the  important  duties  of  charity  and  justice  which  you  have  to 


ON   THE   DECALOGUE   IN   GENERAL  243 

fulfill  towards  them.  Meditate  upon  the  theological  and  moral  virtues 
which  this  law  imposes  upon  you,  such  as  faith,  hope,  and  charity, 
humility,  chastity,  temperance,  etc. 

3d.  Though  it  is  important  to  meditate  often  upon  the  law  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  understand  it  well,  it  is  still  more  necessary  to  practice  it 
faithfully. 

Who  is  it  that  imposes  this  law  upon  us?  It  is  the  Lord,  your 
God  and  your  sovereign  Master,  who  created  you  and  all  things,  who 
with  one  word  drew  the  world  out  of  nothing,  and  who  could  destroy 
it  in  the  same  manner ;  He  before  whom  all  the  nations  are  as  dust 
and  ashes  :  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God  (Ex.  v.  6).  Has  God  not,  there- 
fore, the  right  to  give  us  commandments?  What  blindness  and  folly 
on  our  part,  if  we  should  refuse  to  be  subject  to  them ! 

God  is  not  only  our  Creator  and  Master,  He  is  also  our  Benefactor; 
He  has  delivered  us,  as  He  delivered  the  Jewish  people  from  the  bond- 
age of  Egypt:  I  have  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  (Ex. 
XX.  2),  that  is.  He  has  delivered  us  from  the  slavery  of  the  devil  and 
sin,  by  shedding  His  blood ;  He  has  reopened  for  us  the  gates  of 
heaven,  the  true  Promised  Land. 

Moreover  our  own  interest  should  urge  us  to  observe  the  law  of 
God ;  that  is,  our  happiness  in  this  world  and  in  the  next.  What 
forms  happiness  in  this  world?  Surely  not  riches  and  pleasures 
which  only  beget  uneasiness  and  remorses;  it  is  the  peace  of  the  soul, 
the  calm  and  tranquillity  of  a  good  conscience.  But  this  peace  of  soul, 
this  tranquillity  of  conscience  can  be  enjoyed  only  through  the  observ- 
ance of  the  law  of  God  and  the  practice  of  Christian  virtue  :  Afuch 
peace  have  they  that  love  Thy  law  (Ps.  cxviii.  165).  Does  not  our 
daily  experience  prove  this?  Are  we  ever  happier  and  more  content 
than  when  we  are  at  peace  with  God  ? 

Peace  and  happiness  in  this  world,  and  eternal  happiness  in  the 
next,  will  be  the  reward  of  our  submission  to  the  law  of  God.  This 
was  the  answer  which  our  Saviour  gave  to  the  young  man  who  asked 
Him  what  he  should  do  to  be  saved.  If  thou  ivishest  to  be  saved,  keep 
the  commandments  (Matt.  xix.  16).  Engrave  deeply  in  your  mind 
these  words  of  your  divine  Master.  Do  you  wish  to  gain  heaven,  to 
possess  that  infinite  and  eternal  felicity  which  God  has  promised  to 
His  elect,  and  which  the  angels  and  saints  enjoy?  Then  observe  the 
commandments,  practice  the  law  of  the  Lord.  If  thou  tvilt  enter  into 
life,  keep  the  commandments. 


244 


THIRD  PART.      XV.   INSTRUCTION 


Can  you  hesitate  for  a  moment,  especially  when  you  consider  that 
by  losing  heaven  you  will  merit  hell?  There  is  no  middle  place 
between  an  eternal  happiness  and  an  eternal  misery ;  and  if  you  lose 
heaven,  hell  will  surely  be  your  lot  forever. 

IV.  We  must  observe  the  law  of  God  entirely,  2X  all  times,  with 
fervor  and  with  perseverance. 

ist.  We  must  observe  it  entirely,  and  not  only  in  part;  for,  says 
the  apostle  St.  James  :  Whosoever  off  ends  inane  point  is  become  guilty 
of  all  (James  11.  11). 

2d.  We  must  observe  it  at  all  times.  We  must  defy  all  raillery 
and  criticism,  brave  all  obstacles,  surmount  all  difficulties  ;  for  the  will 
of  God  and  the  salvation  of  our  soul  must  prevail  over  all  other  con- 
siderations, and  must  animate  us  to  be  ready  to  endure  the  greatest 
sacrifices,  if  necessary,  rather  than  to  break  the  law  of  God. 

3d.  We  must  observe  it  -with  fervor,  that  is,  perform  with  joy  and 
love  all  it  commands  us,  avoid  carefully  what  it  forbids,  regard  it  as  our 
most  precious  treasure,  and  as  the  source  of  all  true  happiness. 

4th.  We  must  observe  it  nvith  perseverance,  that  is,  until  the  end, 
in  old  age  as  in  the  fullness  of  manhood,  in  youth  as  in  infancy ;  for 
only  those  who  persevere  to  the  end  can  be  crowned  in  heaven. 

Have  you  thus  far  practiced  this  holy  and  adorable  law.''  Ah! 
how  many  lukewarm  and  indifferent  souls  there  are,  who  have  no  love 
for  God  and  w^ho  render  no  worship  to  Him !  How  many  who  swear 
and  blaspheme  His  holy  name!  How  many  profaners  of  the  Sunday! 
How  many  parents  and  masters  who  neglect  the  care  of  their  children 
and  servants !     How  many  retainers  of  ill-gotten  goods ! 

My  God,  we  acknowledge  with  bitter  sorrow  that  until  now  we 
have  not  observed  Thy  precepts;  but  we  implore  Thy  mercy  to  pardon 
us  our  offenses,  and  in  future  we  will  try  to  be  more  submissive  and 
more  faithful  to  Thee.     Amen. 


ON  THE   FIRST  COMMANDMENT  345 


XVI.     INSTRUCTION 

On  the  First  Commandment 

/  am  the  Lord  thy  God ;  thou  shalt  not  have  any  strange  gods  before  me 

I.  The  first  commandment,  which  is  the  greatest  of  all,  commands 
us  to  adore  God,  to  serve  Him  alone,  and  to  love  Him  with  our  whole 
heart. 

To  adore  God  is  to  render  Him  supreme  worship,  to  honor  and 
acknowledge  Him  as  our  sovereign  Lord  and  master.  Adoration  is, 
therefore,  due  to  Him  alone,  because  He  alone  is  the  sovereign  creator 
and  master  of  all  things. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  adoration:  interior  adoration  and  exterior 
adoration.  We  adore  God  interiorly  by  paying  Him  our  homage 
from  the  bottom  of  our  heart,  without  pronouncing  any  word,  without 
making  any  exterior  sign  to  manifest  our  worship.  We  adore  Him 
exteriorly,  when  we  join  to  the  homage  of  the  heart  words  or  an  atti- 
tude of  body  which  expresses  exteriorly  the  respect  and  love  which 
we  feel  interiorly.  Vocal  prayer,  genuflections,  raising  the  hands 
towards  heaven,  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  all  the  ceremonies  of  the 
Church,  are  examples  of  this  exterior  worship. 

We  render  to  God  a  worship  of  adoration,  both  interior  and  exte- 
rior, by  acts  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity.  By  faith  we  subject  our 
minds  to  the  truths  of  revelation  ;  by  hope  we  put  all  our  trust  in  the 
infallibility  of  His  promises;  and  by  charity  we  devote  to  Him  our 
whole  heart  to  love  Him  alone.  Hence,  the  expression  of  St.  Augus- 
tine :  Deus  jide  spe  et  caritate  colendus;  meaning  that  all  the  acts  of 
religion,  both  interior  and  exterior,  refer  to  one  of  these  three  virtues  : 
faith,  hope,  or  charity. 

II.  We  have  already  spoken  of  the  necessity  of  each  of  these  three 
theological  virtues;  and,  consequently,  of  the  necessity  of  the  interior 
worship  which  we  owe  to  God;  but  the  important  question  arises, 
whether  exterior  worship  is  equally  necessary,  and  whether  it  is  not 
sufficient  for  man  to  honor  God  in  his  heart.  The  answer  is  easy.  If 
our  soul  is  obliged  to  adore  God,  why  should  not  also  our  body  be 
obliged  to  adore  Him  in  its  manner?  If  our  body  is  to  partake  in 
the  pains  or  rewards  of  the  soul  in  the  next  world,  why  should  it  not 
also  partake  in  the  duties  of  humble  dependence  and  of  sacrifice  that 


246  THIRD   PART.      XVI.    INSTRUCTION 

are  imposed  upon  the  soul?  The  sun,  the  moon,  the  stars,  and  all 
inanimate  creatures  render  homage  to  the  sovereign  grandeur  of  God, 
by  fulfilling  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  created;  why  should 
man's  body  alone  in  the  world  be  dispensed  from  such  a  duty?  Liv- 
ing in  society,  as  we  do,  we  have  to  edify  and  stimulate  one  another ; 
but  how  could  this  be  done  without  an  exterior  worship,  without 
prayer  and  public  ceremonies  ?  Moreover,  exterior  worship  is  a  direct 
and  inevitable  consequence  of  interior  worship.  All  the  sentiments 
that  agitate  our  soul,  love  or  hatred,  joy  or  pain,  hope  or  fear,  despair 
or  confidence,  instinctively  show  themselves  outwardly,  and  often 
picture  themselves  even  unwillingly  on  our  features,  in  our  move- 
ments, in  our  gestures,  and  in  our  whole  exterior.  How,  then,  could 
the  faith,  the  hope,  the  charity,  the  gratitude,  the  repentance,  with 
which  our  heart  is  filled,  remain  pent  up  \vithin  us,  without  any  exte- 
rior manifestation  whatever?  No,  it  is  impossible  that  the  sentiments 
which  we  feel  towards  God  should  not  show  themselves  by  exterior 
acts.  And  to  go  further,  I  say  that  interior  worship  cannot  even  exist 
without  showing  itself  exteriorly ;  it  must  have  a  form,  a  body  that 
animates  and  preserves  it.  And  hence  the  custom,  as  old  as  the  world, 
of  offering  sacrifices  to  God  ;  hence  those  feasts,  those  divine  services, 
and  other  pious  exercises  constantly  practiced  in  the  Church.  Abol- 
ish all  the  exterior  worship,  public  prayer,  mass  and  the  sacraments ; 
close  the  churches,  overthrow  the  altars,  and  soon  you  shall  no  longer 
have  any  idea  of  God,  or  of  religion,  or  of  the  duties  which  religion 
imposes  upon  us.  God  would  be  forgotten  or  disowned.  Atheism 
would  reign  supreme,  and  religion  and  morals  would  be  no  more. 

It  is  not  sufficient,  therefore,  to  adore  God  in  spirit ;  we  must  also 
adore  Him  exteriorly ;  the  body  must  unite  with  the  soul  in  paying  to 
God  the  homage  due  to  Him. 

Such  is  the  duty  which  the  First  Commandment  imposes  upon  us. 
Interior  adoration  consists  in  acts  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity;  and  ex- 
terior adoration  in  the  exterior  acts  of  religion. 

The  sins  against  the  First  Commandment  are,  therefore,  all  sins 
against  faith,  hope,  and  charity,  and  against  the  virtue  of  religion. 

III.   Let  us  examine  the  sins  against  each  of  these  virtues. 

Sins  against  Faith. —  A  person  sins  against  faith:  ist.  If  he 
neglects  to  instruct  himself  in  the  principal  truths  of  faith  and  the 
duties  of  his  state.  Such  are  those  who  neglect  to  attend  the  reli- 
gious instructions  of  the  parish,  when  they  have  no  other  means  to 


ON   THE   FIRST  COMMANDMENT 


247 


learn  their  religion,  or  who  assist  at  these  instructions  without  attention 
and  without  a  desire  to  profit  by  them.  There  are  cases  in  which 
such  a  negligence  would  be  a  mortal  sin. 

2d.  If  he  neglects  to  instruct  those  under  his  charge  in  the  truths 
of  religion  and  duties  of  their  state  of  life.  Parents  and  masters  com- 
mit a  moral  sin  if  they  grievously  neglect  to  instruct  their  children  or 
their  servants  :  If  any  man  has  not  care  of  his  own,  and  especially  of 
those  of  his  house,  he  hath  denied  his  faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  infi- 
del {\.  Tim.  V.  8). 

3d.  If  he  refuses  to  believe  one  or  several  truths  of  faith,  as  the 
pagans,  the  Jews,  the  Mohammedans,  who  reject  them  all,  or  the 
heretics  who  deny  one  or  more  truths,  or  bad  Catholics  who,  without 
formally  denying  any  of  the  truths  of  religion,  are  not  really  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  their  faith. 

4th.  If,  without  making  a  public  profession  of  heresy,  he  speaks 
against  faith,  as  those  who  say  that  Protestants  can  save  themselves  in 
their  religion,  just  as  well  as  we  can  save  ourselves  in  ours;  that  con- 
fession is  not  necessary ;  that  the  priests  speak  of  hell  or  of  purgatory 
only  to  frighten  us.  Such  impious  and  blasphemous  talk,  if  seriously 
meant,  is  a  grievous  sin.  Even  when  indulged  in  through  levity,  it 
must  be  always  reprehensible  on  account  of  the  scandal  given. 

5th.  If  he  composes,  publishes,  sells,  reads,  or  borrows  books  against 
faith  and  religion,  or  if  he  subscribes  to  papers  which  are  hostile  to 
religion.  The  impious  newspapers  are  often  more  to  be  dreaded  than 
books  avowedly  anti-Catholic,  because  they  instill  the  poison  into  their 
readers  under  the  most  various  forms,  and  being  distributed  every  day 
by  thousands,  they  reach  everywhere,  and  thus  infect  entire  society. 
Beware  of  bad  books  and  of  the  hidden  venom  of  bad  papers,  all  the 
more  dangerous  as  they  do  their  evil  work  under  the  pretext  of  giving 
the  news;  if  any  fall  into  your  hands  destroy  them  immediately,  and 
when,  unfortunately,  you  have  any  in  your  possession,  do  not  hesitate  to 
destroy  them  right  away. 

6th.  If  he  doubts  the  revealed  truths  of  religion  ;  as,  for  example, 
if  he  should  say  to  himself :  Who  knows  whether  there  is  a  hell  ? 
Who  has  been  there.?  Who  knows  whether  there  is  a  God?  Who 
knows  whether  our  Lord  is  really  present  in  the  holy  communion.? 
.     .     .     If  these  doubts  are  real  and  voluntary,  they  are  mortal  sins. 

7th.  If  being  convinced  of  all  the  truths,  he  should  desire  that 
faith  might  accommodate  itself  more  to  his  ideas,  to  his  interests,  or 


248 


THIRD    PART.      XVI.   INSTRUCTION 


his  inclinations ;  for  instance,  that  God  should  not  mind  if  he  com- 
mits sin;  that  there  ought  to  be  no  hell  to  punish  his  crimes;  that 
revenge,  impurity,  theft,  ought  to  be  permitted;  ...  in  one 
word,  if  he  makes  of  religion  an  intolerable  yoke,  and  believes  and 
obeys  only  by  force,  and  would  like  to  be  exempt  from  all  check. 
Such  a  man  is  well-nigh  lost. 

8th.  If,  on  finding  himself  in  the  company  of  impious  men  who 
speak  against  religion  or  against  her  ministers,  he  laughs  with  them, 
or  applauds  them,  through  human  respect.  This  is  a  mortal  sin  in  a 
grievous  matter,  and  a  venial  sin  in  a  slight  matter.  He  must  dis- 
approve of  similar  discourses  and  show  his  displeasure,  and  even 
refute  them,  if  he  has  the  ability  and  necessary  knowledge  to  do  so. 
If  he  is  afraid  to  make  profession  of  his  faith  in  such  circumstances, 
and  is  ashamed  of  Jesus  Christ  before  men,  Jesus  Christ  will  be 
ashamed  of  him  before  His  Heavenly  Father  at  the  last  day. 

9th.  If  he  enters  into  intimate  friendship  with  heretics,  or  attends 
their  sermons  or  religious  worship.  This  sin  is  more  or  less  grievous 
according  to  the  scandal  given  and  the  danger  to  which  he  is  exposed 
of  losing  his  faith. 

loth.  If  he  neglects  for  a  long  time  to  make  acts  of  faith,  or  if  he 
does  not  make  them  in  circumstances  where  he  is  bound  to  make  them  ; 
for  instance,  in  temptations  against  faith,  when  one  approaches  the 
sacraments,  or  is  in  the  danger  of  death. 

Sins  against  Hope. —  A  person  sins  against  hope  in  two  ways; 
by  despair  and  by  presumption. 

A  person  sins  by  despair :  ist.  If  he  does  not  trust  in  God's 
mercy  and  despairs  of  obtaining  pardon  of  his  sins,  either  on  account 
of  their  number,  or  on  account  of  their  enormity,  as  Cain  and  Judas 
did.  However  great  and  numerous  our  crimes  may  be,  we  must 
always  have  the  confidence  that  God  will  pardon  them  if  we  are 
truly  sorry  for  them. 

3d.  If  he  despairs  of  being  able  to  correct  himself  of  his  sins  or  bad 
habits,  or  to  surmount  the  obstacles  to  salvation  which  daily  present 
themselves.  If  you  are  assailed  by  this  temptation,  remember  the 
words  of  St.  Paul,  that  God  is  faithful  in  His  promises,  and  He  vjill 
not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  which  you  are  able   (I.  Cor.  x. 

13)- 

3d.  If  he  lacks  confidence  in  divine  providence  with  regard  to 
his  temporal  wants,  like  those  who  are  always  afraid  of  lacking  the 


ON  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT 


249 


necessaries  of  life,  of  dying  of  hunger,  or  who,  in  their  wants,  such  as 
illness,  poverty,  affliction,  never  have  any  recourse  to  God,  although 
they  neglect  nothing  on  the  part  of  men.  Undoubtedly  in  the  differ- 
ent trials  to  which  we  are  subject,  God  does  not  forbid  us  to  have  re- 
course to  natural  means,  to  physicians,  to  remedies,  in  order  to  obtain 
relief ;  but  He  also  wishes  us  to  ask  His  aid  before  all,  because  He  is 
the  source  of  all  good,  and  because  without  divine  help  all  the  rest  is 
useless. 

4th.  If  he  is  wanting  in  submission  to  the  will  of  God,  in  outward 
accidents  which  befall  him,  as  those  who,  in  a  great  loss,  in  sickness, 
or  in  the  death  of  a  parent  or  friend,  give  way  to  discouragement, 
compare  their  lot  to  that  of  others  more  favored  than  they  are,  curse 
themselves,  murmur  and  blaspheme  against  Providence,  and  allow 
themselves  to  be  carried  away  by  blind  anger.  In  such  painful  and 
sad  circumstances,  a  good  Christian  resigns  himself  to-  God's  will  and 
bows  to  the  hand  that  strikes  and  chastises  him ;  he  submits  himself  to 
divine  Providence  and  says:  My  God,   Thy  will  he  done! 

A  person  sins  by  presumption  :  ist.  If  he  offends  God  for  the  very 
reason  that  He  is  good  and  merciful  and  will  always  pardon  the  sinner, 
expecting  that  God  will  as  readily  remit  a  great  number  of  sins  as  a 
small  number,  or  that  during  sickness,  or  in  old  age,  there  will  be 
time  enough  to  convert  himself.  To  act  and  reason  in  this  manner  is 
to  trifle  with  God  and  His  attributes.  If  God  is  good,  He  is  also  just, 
and  it  belongs  to  Him  alone  to  tell  when  He  will  pardon  and  when 
He  will  punish. 

2d.  If  he  thinks  he  can  convert  himself,  or  do  good  and  save  him- 
self by  his  own  strength,  without  the  help  of  God.  Faith  teaches  us, 
on  the  contrary,  that,  without  grace,  we  cannot  even  have  a  thought 
meritorious  for  salvation. 

3d.  If  he  flatters  himself  that  he  will  save  his  soul  even  without 
abandoning  a  disorderly  life,  or  without  renouncing  his  criminal  hab- 
its, or  the  occasion  of  sin,  or  if  he  expects  to  obtain  pardon  for  his  sins 
without  doing  penance,  or  without  receiving  the  sacraments,  and 
solely  through  the  practice  of  prayer  or  alms. 

4th.  If  he  does  not  make  acts  of  hope  from  time  to  time,  espe- 
cially when  he  feels  himself  inclined  to  discouragement,  in  illness,  in 
reverses  of  fortune,  or  when  preparing  to  receive  the  sacraments. 

Sins  against  Charity.  —  A  person  sins  against  charity,  if  he  is 
wanting  in  the  love  which  he  owes  to  God  and  his  neighbor. 


250 


THIRD   PART.       XVI.    INSTRUCTION 


To  sin  against  the  love  we  owe  to  our  neighbor  is  to  bear  him 
hatred,  to  have  desires  of  revenge,  to  remember  offenses,  to  be  jealous 
at  the  success  of  others,  to  detract,  to  calumniate,  to  sow  discord  by 
reports,  to  cause  scandal,  and  to  neglect  the  spiritual  or  temporal 
works  of  mercy.  Let  us  examine  how  a  person  can  fail  in  the  love 
which  he  owes  to  God. 

A  person  sins  against  the  love  of  God  :  ist.  If  he  bears  a  hatred 
against  God.  This  frightful  sin  is,  fortunately,  very  rare ;  still,  there 
are  people  of  so  monstrous  a  perversity  that  they  curse  God,  blas- 
pheme Him,  insult  religion  and  its  mysteries,  and  who,  in  order  to 
save  themselves  from  the  punishment  of  their  crimes,  would  like  to 
annihilate  God  Himself. 

2d.  If  he  loves  a  creature  as  much  as  he  loves  God  or  more  than 
he  loves  God.  This  is  the  sin  of  the  covetous,  the  drunkards  and 
unchaste,  who  make  a  god  of  their  belly,  of  their  money,  or  of  a  vile 
creature. 

3d.  If  he  deliberates  or  hesitates  whether  he  should  commit  a 
sin.  For  example,  whether  or  not  he  should  receive  his  Easter  com- 
munion; whether  he  should  accuse  himself  of  a  grievous  sin  of 
which  he  is  guilty ;  whether  he  should  return  to  bad  company.  Even 
though  the  temptation  is  overcome,  the  hesitation  or  doubt  is  a  sin. 

4th.  If  he  has  an  aversion  for  pious  persons,  or  mocks  and  despises 
them  on  account  of  their  piety. 

5th.  If  he  takes  pleasure  in  offending  God ;  for  example,  in  seeing 
others  behave  badly,  or  in  hearing  obscene  words.  To  laugh  at  bad 
things  which  one  sees  or  hears,  instead  of  feeling  sorrow  or  pain,  is 
the  same  as  approving  of  them,  rendering  oneself  an  accomplice,  to  a 
certain  point,  of  the  sin  of  others. 

6th.  If,  through  human  respect,  he  does  evil  or  omits  his  duty. 
For  example,  if  he  is  with  people  who  eat  meat  on  Friday,  and, 
through  a  cowardly  fear,  he  does  the  same,  or  if  he  is  with  people 
who  do  not  say  their  prayers,  who  do  not  go  to  Mass  on  Sunday, 
and  out  of  human  respect  he  omits  these  duties.  All  these  are  failings 
not  only  against  the  Christian  duty,  but  also  against  the  love  of  God. 

7th.  If  he  does  not  offer  all  his  daily  actions  to  God.  It  is  neces- 
sary to  offer  our  actions  to  God  if  we  desire  them  to  be  meritorious. 
It  is  a  pious  and  excellent  custom  to  offer  to  God  every  morning 
all  the  actions  of  the  day,  and  frequently  to  renew  this  offering  during 
the  day. 


ON  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT 


251 


8th.  If  he  has  a  disgust  for  the  things  of  God,  and  fulfills  his  duties 
only  with  indifference,  carelessness,  and  voluntary  distractions.  This 
is  lukewarmness  of  soul  and  is  a  deplorable  and  dangerous  state. 

9th.  If  he  does  not  make  acts  of  love  of  God  in  case  he  is  bound 
to  do  so.  This  omission  would  be  a  sin,  for  all  who  have  attained 
the  use  of  reason,  in  temptations,  before  receiving  the  sacraments, 
and  in  danger  of  death. 

Search  your  heart,  my  brethren,  and  inquire  about  its  dispositions. 
Is  your  faith  firm  and  immovable,  and  do  you  make  it  the  rule  of 
your  life.''  Is  your  hope  firmly  grounded  in  God,  and  free  from  de- 
spair and  presumption?  Do  you  love  God  above  all  things,  and  do 
you  strive  to  do  His  holy  will  in  all  things,  without  fear  and  without 
human  respect? 

Bewail  your  faults  of  the  past,  and  resolve  for  the  future  that  your 
heart  shall  be  firmly  established  in  faith,  hope,  and  charity  —  and  the 
happiness  of  heaven  that  has  been  promised  to  those  that  believe  in 
God,  hope  in  Him,  and  love  Him,  will  be  yours  forever.     Amen. 


XVII.     INSTRUCTION 
On  the  First  Commandment  (  Cont^d) 

There  are  two  ways  of  sinning  against  the  virtue  of  religion  ;  by 
defect  or  by  excess.  To  sin  by  defect  is  not  to  render  to  God  a  suffi- 
cient worship,  or  to  be  wanting  in  respect  towards  Him;  to  sin  by 
excess  is  to  render  him  a  false  or  unbecoming  worship,  opposed  to  the 
principles  of  reason  and  faith.  Sins  of  defect  are  irreligion  and  sacri- 
lege;  sins  of  excess  are  idolatry  and  superstition. 

I.  Irreligion.  Those  render  themselves  guilty  of  the  sin  of  irre- 
ligion who  neglect  their  morning  and  evening  prayers,  who  do  not 
attend  those  services  of  the  Church  which  are  not  of  precept,  such  as 
Vespers,  Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  the  Way  of  the  Cross; 
who  never  say  the  Angelus,  nor  grace  before  and  after  meals,  who 
never  salute  our  divine  Saviour  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament  when  they 
pass  a  church  ;  in  a  word,  who  never  think  of  God,  and  who  com- 
pletely abandon  all  practices  of  piety.     Although  there  is  no  law  that 


252 


THIRD  PART.      XVII.  INSTRUCTION 


obliges  us  to  these  practices  of  devotion,  it  is  sinful  willfully  to  neg- 
lect them. 

II.  Sacrilege  is  the  profanation  of  things  consecrated  to  God. 
This  profanation  is  of  three  kinds  :  the  profanation  of  persons,  of 
things,  and  of  places. 

I  St.  The  profanation  of  persons  consists  in  outraging  persons  con- 
secrated to  God  by  Holy  Orders,  as  priests,  and  other  ministers  of  the 
Church  ;  or  by  the  vow  of  religion,  as  religious  persons  of  both  sexes. 
The  injury  done  to  them  is  done  to  God  Himself  ;  and  to  go  so  far  as  to 
strike  them  would  be  to  incur  the  penalty  of  excommunication,  the 
absolution  from  which  is  reserved  to  the  Pope  or  to  the  bishop. 

2d.  The  profanation  of  holy  things.  Holy  things  are  divided  into 
five  classes  :  ist.  The  sacraments,  the  holy  oils,  and  the  ceremonies  of 
the  Church;  2d.  The  sacred  vessels  which  come  in  contact  with  the 
body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  which  have  received  from  the 
bishop  a  special  consecration;  the  purificators,  corporals,  and  palls 
which  have  been  used  in  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  A  layman  is 
not  permitted  to  touch  these  objects  without  the  permission  of  the 
bishop  or  priest;  3d.  The  texts  of  Sacred  Scripture,  relics  of  saints, 
holy  images,  and  holy  water ;  4th.  The  ornaments  used  by  the  priest 
in  the  functions  of  the  sacred  ministry  and  the  ornaments  used  in 
adorning  the  altar.  It  would  be  sinful  to  make  use  of  these  ornaments 
for  profane  purposes  ;  5th.  Church  property,  movable  and  immovable, 
such  as  the  money  of  confraternities,  collections  for  the  souls  in  purga- 
tory, and  lands  whose  revenues  are  destined  for  the  parochial  service. 
These  objects,  although  not  blessed  by  the  Church,  have  a  sacred  desti- 
nation, and  no  one  could  appropriate  them  unjustly  without  rendering 
himself  guilty  of  sacrilegious  theft.  The  profanation  of  holy  things 
differs  in  grievousness  according  to  the  nature  of  the  thing  profaned.  The 
profanation  of  the  sacraments,  especially  of  the  Holy  Eucharist,  would 
be  a  fearful  sacrilege,  much  more  grievous  than  the  profanation  of  the 
sacred  vessels  or  holy  oils.  To  parody  and  mock  religious  ceremonies 
would  also  be  a  great  sacrilege. 

3d.  The  profanation  of  holy  places.  Holy  places  are  the  churches 
in  which  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  kept,  chapels,  private  oratories,  and 
cemeteries. 

A  person  profanes  a  church  by  unbecoming  postures,  by  talking 
without  necessity,  by  laughing  or  by  amusing  himself  in  the  house  of 
God.     Actions  of  impurity  or  fights  in  a  church  would  be  frightful 


ON   THE   FIRST   COMMANDMENT 


253 


profanations.  There  are  cases  of  profanation  where  the  holy  sacrifice 
of  the  Mass  could  not  be  offered  until  the  consecration  of  the  church  is 
reestablished  by  the  bishop. 

Chapels  and  private  oratories  must  also  be  respected,  because  they 
are  blessed  places,  and  because  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  offered 
in  them  from  time  to  time.  Let  us  also  respect  the  cemeteries  which, 
besides  being  blessed,  are  so  well  calculated  to  inspire  us  with  piety, 
recollection,  and  religious  sadness. 

III.  Idolatry. —  The  word  idolatry  means  the  adoration  of  idols. 
It  is  the  sin  of  giving  to  creatures  a  worship  which  is  due  to  God 
alone,  as  was  done  by  the  pagans,  who  adored  the  sun,  the  moon,  and 
animals.  Thanks  to  the  light  of  the  Gospel,  this  absurd  and  abomi- 
nable w^orship  no  longer  exists  among  us ;  but  there  is  a  kind  of  idola- 
try that  still  exists  and  which  is  hardly  less  injurious  to  God,  namely, 
that  of  the  passions.  Riches,  intemperance,  and  voluptuousness,  often 
receive  the  same  honor  to-day  which  was  formerly  rendered  to  Mer- 
cury, Bacchus,  or  Venus.  The  covetous  man  makes  a  god  of  his 
money,  the  drunkard  of  liquor,  and  the  impure  man  of  the  object 
of  his  infamous  passion.  To  the  worship  of  these  odious  deities, 
man  sacrifices  both  his  soul  and  eternity.  What  shameful  excess 
and  what  deplorable  blindness  of  man's  heart  to  abandon  and  to 
despise  God,  who  is  the  author  of  all  good,  and  to  attach  himself 
to  deceitful  and  frail  creatures,  which,  instead  of  offering  true  hap- 
piness, only  leave  in  the  soul  a  frightful  void,  remorse,  and  shame. 

IV.  Superstition. —  Superstition  is  a  worship  rendered  to  the 
devil,  or  an  invocation  addressed  to  him  directly  or  indirectly  to 
obtain  effects  beyond  human  strength,  or  revelations  beyond  human 
knowledge.  It  is  also  a  superfluous  wor-ship  employed  in  the  exercise 
of  religion,  vain  and  useless  practices,  authorized  neither  by  the 
Church  nor  by  any  lawful  custom.  Apart  from  idolatry,  which  is 
the  greatest  and  most  fatal  of  all  superstitions,  there  are  four  kinds  : 
vain  observance,  divination,  magic,  and  witchcraft. 

ist.  Vain  Observance. —  Those  are  guilty  of  vain  observance,  who 
believe  that  there  are  lucky  and  unlucky  days,  in  the  healing  of  cer- 
tain diseases,  or  who  employ,  to  cure  the  sick,  words,  signs,  or  actions, 
which  naturally  cannot  produce  any  effect.  There  are  some  who  pretend 
to  cure  animals  by  means  of  an  herb,  which  they  do  not  even  give  the  sick 
beast ;  others  base  themselves  on  merely  accidental  meetings  or  events, 
such  as  the  number  of  thirteen  at  a  table,  or  the  upsetting  of  a  salt 


2e4  THIRD  PART.      XVII.  INSTRUCTION 

cellar,  in  order  to  draw  omens  of  fortune  or  misfortune.  If  there  is 
anything  serious  or  true  in  these  observances,  it  can  be  only  through 
the  intervention  of  the  devil,  and  would  be  sinful ;  but,  generally,  vain 
observances  are  mere  trifles  in  which  only  weak  and  diseased  minds 
can  find  anything  serious. 

2d.  Divination. —  Those  sin  by  divination  who  invoke  the  help  of 
the  devil,  either  expressly  or  tacitly,  to  know  hidden  or  secret  things 
of  which  they  cannot  have  any  knowledge  by  natural  means,  and 
those  who  consult  soothsayers.  If  a  compact  is  made  with  the  devil 
in  express  w^ords,  the  sin  would  be  very  grievous,  and  even  if  it  w^ere 
only  a  tacit  one,  the  sin  might  be  also  grievous,  if  simplicity  or  igno- 
rance does  not  excuse  it. 

May  fortune-tellers  be  consulted?  No;  because  if  fortune-tellers 
could  really  foretell  the  future,  they  could  have  their  knowledge  only 
from  the  devil,  and  in  that  case  to  invoke  the  aid  of  fortune-tellers 
would  be  to  invoke  the  aid  of  the  devil  himself.  But,  generally,  for- 
tune-tellers, or  witches,  who  pretend  to  read  the  future  and  to  know 
what  is  not  given  to  man  here  below  to  know,  are  only  impostors, 
miserable  mountebanks  who,  by  tricks  or  ambiguous  words,  can  sat- 
isfy everybody,  and  seek  only  to  get  money  by  satisfying  an  idle 
curiosity.  It  is  astonishing  to  find  people  simple  enough  to  let  them- 
selves be  deceived  by  such  impostors ! 

What  must  we  think  of  the  conjurer's  wand,  of  animal  magnetism, 
of  hypnotism  of  which  we  hear  so  much  at  present?  It  is  forbidden 
to  make  use  of  the  conjurer's  wand  with  a  view  to  finding  lost  objects, 
or  of  finding  the  lost  limits  of  a  property.  There  cannot  be  any  con- 
nection between  the  wand  and  these  lost  objects.  But  it  is  not  the 
same  in  regard  to  the  searching  for  springs,  metals,  mines,  and  min- 
erals, because  according  to  the  opinion  of  learned  men,  gases  or  ema- 
nations which  escape  from  buried  metals  or  from  subterranean  waters 
may  exercise  a  certain  influence  and  cause  certain  movements,  either 
on  the  wand  itself,  or  on  the  hands  of  the  one  who  holds  it.  How- 
ever, it  is  necessary  to  renounce  all  intervention  of  the  devil  before 
making  use  of  any  of  these  means. 

Animal  magnetism  or  hypnotism  consists  in  causing  a  person  to 
fall  asleep  by  means  of  certain  passes,  and  in  causing  him  to  reveal 
remedies  good  for  certain  diseases,  or  to  make  other  still  more  wonder- 
ful revelations.  Is  the  practice  of  hypnotism  lawful,  and,  if  so,  how  far? 
Some  grave  theologians  have  condemned  the  practice  of  hypnotism 


ON   THE   FIRST  COMMANDMENT  255 

absolutely,  chiefly  on  account  of  the  abuses  which  they  deemed  insep- 
arable from  it ;  but  other  standard  authorities  teach  that  hypnotism 
may  not  be  universally  condemned  as  evil  in  itself,  although  it  is 
unquestionably  dangerous.  This  latter  opinion  seems  to  be  the  more 
common  one.  Hence,  the  question  remaining  uncertain,  and  since 
Rome  has  not  yet  given  an  answer  on  the  subject,  we  would  not  dare 
to  say  that  the  practice  of  hypnotism  is  absolutely  forbidden. 

What  must  we  believe  of  the  "  Turning  Tables  "  ?  The  practice 
of  Turning  Tables,  which  originated  about  forty  years  ago  in  Amer- 
ica, and  which  soon  spread  to  Europe  and  the  entire  world,  has  been 
condemned  as  superstitious  by  several  bishops,  especially  by  the  arch- 
bishop of  Quebec,  in  Canada.  The  tables  can  be  made  to  dance  by 
physical  means,  indeed,  but  they  cannot  be  made  to  answer  questions, 
to  foretell  the  future,  or  to  reveal  things  of  the  next  world  without 
supernatural  intervention  —  and  the  so-called  spirit-rappers  are  noth- 
ing but  demons.  Therefore,  to  consult  these  spirit-rappers,  even  only 
through  curiosity  or  amusement,  is  sinful. 

3d.  Magic. —  There  are  two  kinds  of  magic  :  natural  magic  which 
consists  in  performing  extraordinary  and  astonishing  feats,  but  by 
natural  means,  such  as  skill,  suppleness  of  the  body,  or  the  knowledge 
of  the  laws  of  physics ;  and  superstitious  magic,  which  is  the  art 
of  producing  eflFects  which  surpass  the  forces  of  human  nature,  by  the 
power  of  an  express  or  tacit  compact  w^ith  the  devil.  Such  was  prob- 
ably the  magic  practiced  by  the  magicians  of  the  Pharaoh  of  Egypt, 
when  they  imitated  the  miracles  of  Moses.  Natural  magic  is  not  for- 
bidden, provided  it  is  not  abused  so  as  to  deceive  the  simple  and 
to  get  their  money  unjustly ;  but  superstitious  magic  is  a  grievous  sin, 
both  for  those  who  exercise  it  and  for  those  who  consult  it.  This 
kind  of  superstition  is  fortunately  not  very  common,  and  hardly 
known  in  our  country. 

4th.  Sorcery  or  Witchcraft. —  Witchcraft  is  a  diabolical  art  which 
consists  in  casting  spells  and  thus  causing  diseases  or  infirmities, 
either  to  men  or  to  animals,  by  a  spirit  of  hatred  and  revenge.  We 
sometimes  meet  persons  who  complain  of  being  under  spells.  This 
might  be  true  in  very  rare  circumstances,  because  we  find  examples  in 
history,  and  because  the  Church  has  threatened  sorcerers  with  very 
severe  punishments.  But  we  must  not  easily  believe  in  witchcraft, 
for  the  evil  most  often  exists  only  in  the  imagination.  However, 
in  a  case  of  sorcery  one  should  have  recourse  to  prayer,  fasting,  and 


256 


THIRD   PART.      XVIII.    INSTRUCTION 


sometimes,  perhaps,  to  the  exorcisms  of  the  Church.  But  no  one 
would  be  permitted  to  invoke  the  aid  of  the  person  who  cast  the  spell, 
in  order  to  be  delivered  from  it,  because  this  is  forbidden  by  the 
sacred  canons. 

Such  are,  my  brethren,  the  sins  opposed  to  the  virtue  of  religion. 
Examine  your  conscience  and  inquire  whether  you  are  guilty 
before  God  in  any  of  these  points.  Examine  yourselves  particularly 
in  regard  to  the  duty  of  prayer,  the  dispositions  you  had  for  confes- 
sion, communion,  the  respect  due  to  holy  places,  to  holy  things,  to 
persons  consecrated  to  God.  Oh !  with  how  many  negligences  and 
irreverences  must  you  not  perhaps  reproach  yourselves!  Cry  out 
with  regret  and  bitterness:  O  my  God,  I  acknowledge  that  until  now 
I  have  not  truly  practiced  the  virtue  of  religion,  that  I  have  not  been 
exact  in  my  duties  of  piety,  not  recollected  before  the  adorable  sacra- 
ment of  our  altars,  or  little  respectful  towards  Thy  ministers.  Pardon 
me,  O  Lord,  pardon  my  indifference  and  impiety.  In  future  I  shall 
be  more  faithful  in  rendering  Thee  the  worship  and  adoration  I  owe 
to  Thee,  never  forgetting  the  words  of  Thy  commandment :  Thou 
shalt  adore  the  Lord  thy  God.     Amen. 


XVIII.     INSTRUCTION 

On   the    First  Commandment  [Concluded) 

I.  In  the  preceding  instruction  we  have  seen  that  the  first  com- 
mandment commands  us  to  adore  God  and  to  serve  Him  alone  :  /  am 
the  Lord  thy  God,  thou  shalt  not  have  strange  gods  before  me.  Must 
we  conclude  from  this,  as  Protestants  do,  that  it  is  forbidden  to  honor 
the  saints,  and  that  the  honor  which  we  render  to  them  is  an  act  of 
idolatry?  No,  my  brethren,  because  this  worship  essentially  differs 
from  that  which  we  render  to  God.  The  worship  we  render  to  God 
is  a  worship  of  adoration,  by  which  we  acknowledge  Him  as  the 
sovereign  Lord  and  Master  of  all  things,  and  which,  consequently, 
is  due  to  Him  alone;  whilst  the  worship  which  we  render  to  the 
saints  and  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  is  only  an  act  of  honor  and 


ON  THE   FIRST   COMMANDMENT  257 

of  invocation,  by  which  we  acknowledge  them  as  the  friends  of  God 
and  our  intercessors  before  His  throne.  The  Church  has  consecrated 
three  terms  to  express  the  difference  which  she  makes  between  these 
various  worships.  She  calls  the  first  the  worship  of  Latria  or  of 
adoration  ;  the  second,  worship  of  Hyper dulia  or  of  great  veneration, 
the  honor  which  we  render  to  the  Blessed  Virgin ;  and  the  third, 
worship  of  Dulia,  that  is,  of  homage  and  invocation,  which  we  ren- 
der to  the  other  saints.  This  is  why,  when  we  address  God  we  say  : 
Lord  have  mercy  on  us;  Lord  grant  us  the  graces  that  are  necessary 
for  us;  Lord  pardon  us  our  sins;  whilst,  when  we  invoke  the  Blessed 
Virgin  or  the  other  saints,  we  simply  say  :  Pray  for  us.  In  fact,  the 
saints  can  grant  us  nothing  of  themselves ;  all  they  can  do  for  us  is  to 
assist  us. 

The  worship  of  the  saints,  thus  understood,  far  from  being  repre- 
hensible as  tainted  with  idolatry,  can  only  be,  on  the  contrary,  agree- 
able to  God  and  very  beneficial  for  us. 

1st.  It  is  very  agreeable  to  God.  What  were  the  saints  upon  earth, 
and  what  are  they  now  in  heaven? 

Upon  earth  they  were  great  servants  of  God  and  accomplished 
models  of  all  virtues.  Humility,  meekness,  purity,  charity  seemed  to  be 
personified  in  them.  All  their  care,  all  their  ambition  was  to  glorify 
the  Lord  and  to  render  thefnselves  useful  to  their  fellow-men.  Their, 
life  was,  as  that  of  their  divine  Master,  the  faithful  practice  of  the 
Gospel.  One  might  say  that  they  were  angels  clothed  in  a  mortal 
body. 

What  are  they  now  in  heaven  ?  Their  virtue  has  received  its  re- 
ward. In  the  bosom  of  God  they  partake  of  His  eternal  felicity,  and 
are  surrounded  with  light  and  glory ;  they  are  His  friends.  His  be- 
loved children,  and  are  happy  forever;  they  form  His  court  and  are 
His  devoted  ministers,  whom  He  has  made  the  depositaries  of  a  part 
of  His  sovereign  authority. 

Can  God  feel  offended  at  seeing  us  rendering  homage  to  the  vir- 
tues and  grandeurs  of  the  saints?  It  is  God  Himself  who  has  engraved 
in  our  souls  this  sentiment  which  fills  us  with  admiration  for  all  that  is 
great,  generous,  heroic,  which  moves  us  to  honor  men  who  have  prac- 
ticed the  greatest  virtues,  led  a  pure  and  perfect  life,  and  rendered  the 
greatest  services  to  their  fellow-men.  Hence,  great  men  are  over- 
whelmed with  honors  and  distinguished,  their  deeds  are  celebrated 
with  pomp  and  festivity  ;  statues,  triumphal  arches,  and  mementos  are 
17 


258 


THIRD   PART.      XVIII.    INSTRUCTION 


erected  in  their  honor.  Why  should  we  be  forbidden  to  do  for  the 
saints  what  everybody  does  for  great  men  and  for  heroes? 

Far  from  condemning  the  homage  we  offer  to  the  saints,  God  would 
feel  offended  if  we  did  not  honor  them.  We  need  not  fear  to  offend 
God  in  honoring  those  who  have  so  faithfully  served  and  loved  Him, 
and  whom  He  has  taken  to  Himself  to  be  glorified  forever  in  heaven. 
The  honor  which  we  render  to  them  does  not  stop  with  the  saints 
themselves ;  it  ascends  to  God  the  author  of  their  sanctity  and  salva- 
tion, the  source  of  all  good.  The  saints  are  to  us  only  souls  over- 
whelmed with  God's  gifts,  and  established  as  intercessors  to  restore 
that  most  intimate  communion  between  the  Church  upon  earth  and 
the  Church  in  heaven, 

2d.  The  veneration  of  the  saints  is  very  beneficial  to  us.  This  ven- 
eration, by  reminding  us  of  their  noble  actions,  by  placing  before  our 
eyes  the  spectacle  of  their  combats  and  generous  sacrifices,  animates  us 
to  walk  in  their  footsteps ;  it  upholds  us  in  our  weakness,  encourages 
us  in  our  failings,  strengthens  us  against  temptations,  and  assists  us  to 
rise  out  of  our  sins.  Full  of  courage  and  confidence,  in  spite  of  the 
assaults  of  the  devil  and  the  raging  of  the  passions,  we  say  with  St. 
Augustine:   "  Can  I  not  do  what  the  saints  have  done?^^ 

The  veneration  of  the  saints  is  especially  beneficial  to  us,  because 
they  enjoy  great  credit  in  heaven  and  have  the  greatest  charity 
towards  men.  Being  loved  and  blessed  by  God  and  having  easy 
access  to  the  throne  of  His  Majesty  and  of  His  infinite  mercy,  what 
can  they  not  do  by  their  prayers?  What  graces,  what  favors  can  God 
refuse  them?  Surely. God  will  listen  to  the  prayers  of  the  apostles 
w^ho  devoted  their  lives  to  the  spreading  of  the  Gospel,  of  the  martyrs 
who  spilled  their  blood  for  the  faith,  of  holy  men  and  women  of  all 
conditions  of  life  who  despised  the  world,  conquered  their  passions 
and  surmounted  so  many  obstacles  out  of  love  for  Him.  Moreover, 
the  saints  know  our  needs  by  the  favor  of  God,  they  see  our  miseries 
and  hear  our  vows;  and  the  charity  which  animated  them  while  upon 
earth  is  not  extinguished  in  heaven.  It  is  always  a  living  flame, 
always  burning,  always  nourished  by  the  light  of  God.  Full  of  com- 
passion for  our  weakness,  and  of  fear  on  account  of  the  dangers  that 
threaten  us,  they  interest  themselves  in  us,  they  receive  our  prayers, 
and  never  cease  to  implore  the  help  of  God  in  our  favor.  They 
remember  that  we  are  their  brethren,  the  members  of  the  same  family, 
and  it  is  their  greatest  desire  that  we  should  share  their  happiness. 


ON  THE   FIRST  COMMANDMENT  259 

Let  us  place  our  confidence  in  them,  let  us  implore  them  to  intercede 
for  us.  They  will  always  be  our  best  friends  and  our  most  powerful 
and  most  devoted  protectors. 

The  veneration  of  the  saints  is,  therefore,  lawful  and  is  based  upon 
the  constant  teaching  of  the  Church.  In  the  earliest  times,  and  in  the 
time  of  the  most  violent  persecutions,  she  raised  altars  to  their  honor 
in  the  catacombs,  and  when  better  days  came  she  built  magnificent 
temples  in  their  honor  and  instituted  feasts  to  celebrate  their  memory. 
In  the  holy  Council  of  Trent,  she  declared  that  the  veneration  of  the 
saints  was  wholesome,  useful,  praiseworthy,  and  agreeable  to  God, 
who  desires  to  be  glorified  in  His  saints,  and  she  pronounced  anathema 
against  any  one  daring  to  maintain  the  contrary. 

II.  Let  us  pass  to  the  veneration  of  holy  relics.  By  relics  we 
understand  the  members,  the  garments,  the  bones,  or  other  things 
that  belonged  to  the  saints.  Is  this  veneration  idolatrous,  is  it  super- 
stitious, as  Protestants  claim?  God  forbid;  nothing  is  more  lawful, 
nothing  more  praiseworthy,  than  the  veneration  of  relics. 

Do  we  not  cherish  and  preserve  with  the  greatest  care  anything 
that  has  belonged  to  some  one  dear  to  us,  to  a  parent,  to  a  friend,  to  a 
benefactor?  Do  we  not  respect  the  mortal  remains  of  a  celebrated 
man,  of  an  illustrious  prince?  With  what  eagerness  do  we  not  seek 
to  obtain  the  furniture  that  served  for  their  use ;  what  pains  do  we 
not  take,  and  what  expenses  do  we  not  incur  to  procure  some  part  of 
their  mortal  remains,  or  even  objects  that  remind  us  of  them?  Why 
should  it  not  be  equally  lawful  to  venerate  the  relics  of  saints?  Why 
should  we  not  honor  and  preserve  most  carefully  the  mortal  remains 
of  those  illustrious  personages  who,  by  their  virtues  and  good  works, 
deserve  our  love,  our  gratitude,  and  our  respect?  The  veneration  of 
sacred  relics  has  been  practiced  at  all  times  in  the  Church,  The 
Christians  of  the  first  ages  of  the  Church  buried  the  bodies  of  the 
martyrs  with  great  respect,  and  even  collected  the  drops  of  their  blood 
which  stained  the  earth  and  the  instruments  of  their  torture,  to  place  in 
their  churches  and  upon  their  altars.  Since  that  time  it  has  been  always 
the  desire  of  the  Church,  either  that  the  altars  should  be  erected  over 
the  sepulchres  of  saints,  or  that  there  should  be  relics  inserted  under 
the  marble  slabs  upon  which  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  offered. 
It  has  been  always  her  desire  that  relics  should  be  kept  in  vessels  of 
gold  or  silver,  and  carried  in  procession  with  all  solemnity.  Heaven 
itself  has    through    countless    miracles   authorized   the   veneration  of 


26o  THIRD   PART.      XVIII.    INSTRUCTION 

sacred  relics.  The  dead  were  raised  to  life  again  on  the  tomb  of  Elis- 
eus;  the  linens  or  handkerchiefs  which  had  touched  St.  Paul  wrought 
the  healing  of  the  sick.  The  history  of  the  Church  is  full  of  such 
examples ;  this  caused  a  Father  of  the  Church  to  say  that  the  sepul- 
chres of  the  servants  of  the  Crucified  were  more  glorified  than  the 
palaces  of  kings. 

Let  us,  therefore,  respect  and  venerate  the  relics  of  the  saints.  To 
possess  one  of  these  relics  is  to  possess  a  treasure.  But  we  must  be 
careful:  ist.  That  the  relics  are  authentic  and  that  they  have  received 
the  approbation  of  ecclesiastical  authority ;  2d.  In  honoring  them,  not 
to  attribute  any  power  to  the  relics  themselves,  the  veneration  which 
you  render  them  being  referred  to  the  saints  to  whom  they  belong. 

III.  The  veneration  of  images  and  of  the  cross  of  Jesus  Christ  is 
not  less  lawful  than  the  veneration  of  relics.  Most  unjustly  do  heretics 
accuse  us  of  idolatry.  There  is  an  essential  difference  between  the 
honor  which  we  render  to  pictures,  to  crosses  or  statues,  and  the  honor 
w^hich  pagans  render  to  their  idols  of  stone  or  wood.  The  pagans 
adored  their  idols  as  containing  the  deity,  and  having  the  power  to 
give  them  what  they  asked.  We,  on  the  contrary,  acknowledge  no 
power,  no  property,  no  virtue  in  the  images  themselves.  All  the 
honor  which  we  pay  to  these  material  objects  we  intend  for  those  whom 
they  represent.  When  we  kneel  before  a  cross,  it  is  Jesus  Christ  who 
died  upon  a  cross  whom  we  wish  to  honor  and  adore;  when  we  kneel 
before  an  image  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  or  some  other  saint,  it  is  not 
the  paper,  it  is  not  the  wood  or  stone  which  we  intend  to  honor,  but  the 
saint  whose  image  is  represented. 

In  all  ages  the  Church  has  venerated  crosses  and  images. 
Nicephorus  states  that  St.  Luke  painted  portraits  of  the  Saviour, 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  of  the  apostles  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul. 
The  historian  Eusebius  tells  us  that  he  saw  the  statue  of  the  Saviour 
placed  in  front  of  the  house  of  the  woman  who  had  been  healed  of  a 
flow  of  blood  by  touching  the  hem  of  His  garment,  and  which  she 
herself  had  caused  to  be  made  as  a  token  of  gratitude.  Several 
General  Councils,  such  as  the  second  Council  of  Nice  and  the  Coun- 
cil of  Trent,  have  condemned  as  heretical  the  doctrine  of  the 
Iconoclasts,  who  decried  the  veneration  of  images,  and  who  in  destroy- 
ing them  thought  they  were  doing  an  act  of  piety. 

Far  from  being  reprehensible,  the  veneration  of  holy  images  cannot 
but  be  very  useful  to  us,  because  these  pious  objects  remind  us  of  the 


ON  THE   SECOND  COMMANDMENT  261 

saints  and  of  their  virtues.  Holy  images  are  the  books  of  the  ignorant 
as  well  as  of  the  learned,  they  strike  the  attention  of  all,  everybody 
can  understand  them.  St.  Theresa  never  tired  looking  on  the  image 
of  Jesus  Christ.  St.  Charles  found  such  an  attraction  in  meditating 
on  the  agony  of  the  Saviour  in  the  Garden  of  Olives,  in  a  chapel  where 
it  was  pictured,  that  he  often  passed  whole  hours  in  contemplation. 
Let  us,  therefore,  venerate  the  sacred  images.  Let  us  always  have 
them  in  our  rooms  and  at  our  bedside.  A  house  without  a  pious  pic- 
ture or  statue  is  not  a  Christian  house.  Let  us  especially  honor  and 
respect  the  Crucifix,  on  account  of  the  great  mysteries  which  it  repre- 
sents. The  cross  is  the  august  symbol  of  redemption.  Can  a  Chris- 
tian be  indifferent  to  it? 

Let  us  adore  Jesus  Christ  who  died  on  the  cross ;  let  us  honor  the 
saints  who  are  our  protectors,  our  models,  and  let  us  kneel  with  respect 
before  their  relics  and  images,  and  let  us  try  to  imitate  the  example  of 
the  saints  and  walk  in  their  footsteps,  in  order  to  enjoy  with  them  the 
happiness  of  heaven.     Amen.  ' 


XIX.  INSTRUCTION 
On    thk    Second    Commandment 

Thou  Shalt  Not  Take  the  Name  of  Thy  God  in   Vain 

/  jr    The  Second  Commandment,  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  thy 

llrW  'VGod  in  vain,  forbids  unnecessary  oaths,  blasphemy,  and  cursing;  and, 

at  the  same  time,  it  commands  us  to  respect  His  holy  name  and  to 

fulfill  the  vows  we  have  made.     In  this  instruction  I  will  speak  only 

of  what  the  second  commandment  forbids. 

I.  Let  us  begin  with  the  oath.  To  swear  is  to  call  on  God  to  wit- 
ness that  what  we  say  is  true,  or  that  we  will  keep  our  promise.  We 
can  call  God  as  witness  in  two  ways  :  By  words,  or  by  signs.  We 
call  God  to  witness  by  word  when  we  say,  for  instance:  God  is  my 
witness,  I  swear,  I  swear  by  heaven  and  earth.  We  take  Him  to 
witness  by  sign,  when  we  place  our  hand  upon  the  Gospel,  or  when 


262  THIRD   PART.      XIX.   INSTRUCTION 

we  raise  it  with  the  intention  of  swearing,  as  is  done  in  courts  of 
justice;  ' 

The  expression  This  is  as  sure  as  I  am  here^  as  sure  as  the  sun 
shines,  or  as  sure  as  I  shall  die,  and  others  similar,  are  oaths  only 
wJien  they  are  said  with  the  intention  of  swearing.  We  may  say 
the  same  of  such  expressions  as  on  my  faith,  on  the  faith  of  a  Chris- 
tian, on  the  faith  of  an  honest  man.  However,  as  these  words  have 
quite  the  sound  of  an  oath,  and  as  they  might  scandalize  those  that 
hear  therri,«a  good  Christian  ought  carefully  to  avoid  them.  As  to 
the  expression  :  This  is  as  true  as  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  who 
sees,  ivho  hears  me,  they  are  not  oaths,  but  blasphemies,  and,  undoubt- 
edly, one  sins  more  or  less  grievously,  according  to  the  intention  and 
the  malic'e.  How  can  any  one,  without  failing  in  the  respect  which 
he  owes  to  God,  compare  any  fact,  however  certain  it  may  be,  with 
the  great  truth  of  the  existence  and  knowledge  of  God.'' 

Are'-odths  sinful  in  themselves?  No,  on  the  contrary  they  are 
acts  of  religion  which  honor  God  in  confessing  that  He  is  the  infalli- 
ble truth.  The  prophet  Isaias  tells  us  that  those  who  swear  by  the 
Lord  will  be  glorified.  God  Himself,  to  strengthen  our  confidence, 
sometimes  had  recourse  to  the  oath  ;  and  He  encourages  us  to  imitate 
Him  ;  Tou  shall  fear  the  Lord  your  God,  He  says,  and  you  shall  swear 
by  His  name  (Deut.  vi.  13).  The  holy  patriarchs  also  sometimes 
made  use  of  the  oath,  and  Jesus  Christ  Himself  swore  when  the  glory 
of  His  Father  and  the  salvation  of  men  required  this. 

But  there  are  three  conditions  necessary  for  a  lawful  oath  :  truth, 
justice,  and  discretion.  Thou  shalt  swear  as  the  Lord  liveth,  in  truth 
and  in  judgment,  and  in  justice  (Jer.  iv.  2)  ;  that  is,  the  thing  which 
one  affirms  must  be  true,  or  we  must  believe  it  to  be  true ;  that  which 
one  promises  must  be  good  and  just,  and  we  must  have  the  intention 
of  keeping  our' promise  ;  finally  the  oath  must  be  made  only  with  dis- 
cretion and  through  necessity.  When  one  of  these  three  conditions  is 
wanting,  the  oath  is  not  permitted. 

1st.  What  you  swear  to  must  be  true,  or  at  least  you  must  believe 
it  to  be  such;  for  if  it  were  not  true,  the  oath,  far  from  being  a  religious 
act,  would  be  a  perjury.  Perjury  is  an  abominable  crime  before  God 
and  man.  It  offends  God,  because  it  invokes  His  testimony  in  favor 
of  a  lie,  as  if  to  make  God  the  accomplice  of  an  untruth.  It  offends 
man,  because  it  destroys  the  last  guarantee  which  can  be  given  of  the 
truth  of  h\xx  words,  it  deceives  our  neighbor  in   the  most   shameful 


ON  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT 


263 


manner,  and  causes  trouble  and  disorder  in  the  relations  of  society. 
All  nations  have  shown  their  horror  of  this  crime,  and  they  punish  it 
with  very  severe  penalties.  We  need  not  be  surprised  that,  in  Holy 
Scripture,  God  threatens  the  perjurer  with  the  most  terrible  curses, 
and  that  He  declares  through  the  mouth  of  the  prophet  Zacharias  : 
His  maledictions  shall  remain  in  the  midst  of  his  house,  and  shall 
consume  it,  with  the  timber  thereof,  and  the  stones  thereof  (Zach. 
V.  4). 

To  swear  falsely  is  not  only  to  affirm  as  true  what  one  knows  to 
be  false,  or  as  false  what  one  knows  to  be  true,  but  also  to  declare 
that  to  be  certain  which  one  knows  is  doubtful.  When  a  false  oath  is 
taken  in  a  court  of  justice,  it  becomes  a  reserved  case  in  some  dioceses; 
and  the  perjurer  is  obliged  to  repair  all  the  damages  which  are  the 
consequence  of  it. 

2d.  The  thing  which  is  promised  by  an  oath  must  be  good  and 
honest,  and  the  swearer  must  have  the  intention  of  fulfilling  his  prom- 
ise. If  the  thing  promised  is  bad,  if,  for  example,  it  is  prejudicial  to 
others,  or  if  it  is  contrary  to  good  morals,  or  even  if  the  thing  is 
good,  but  there  is  no  intention  on  the  part  of  the  swearer  to  keep 
his  engagements,  the  oath  would  be  unlawful  and  criminal,  because 
it  would  be  making  God  a  guarantee  for  evil  dispositions  or  one's 
own  bad  will.  All  theologians  hold  that  every  one  is  obliged,  under 
pain  of  mortal  sin,  to  keep  his  lawful  oaths,  unless  it  is  impossible. 
But  it  would  be  sinful  to  keep  a  sacrilegious  promise  if  the  swearer 
has,  so  to  say,  associated  God  with  his  crime.  This  would  be  a 
double  offense.  There  is  a  sin  in  swearing  to  do  a  bad  or  unjust 
thing,  and  a  still  more  grievous  sin  in  fulfilling  the  wicked  promise. 

3d.  Swearing  must  be  done  with  discretion,  that  is.  after  mature 
reflection,  and  only  after  being  convinced  of  the  truth  of  what  one 
swears  to,  or  of  the  possibility  of  keeping  the  engagement  which  one 
wishes  to  take.  Causes  of  real  necessity  are,  when  one  is  called  to 
swear  before  a  court  of  justice  or  before  some  magistrate,  to  whom 
one  has  submitted  a  dispute,  or  when  assuming  some  public  office. 

Outside  of  these  cases  of  necessity,  let  us  not  swear ;  but  according 
to  the  precept  of  the  Gospel,  let  us  content  ourselves  with  saying 
Tea,  yea;  no,  no,  (Matt.  v.  37).  I  shall  do  it,  or  I  shall  not  do  it. 
Let  us  not  think  that  our  words  will  not  be  believed  without  an  oath. 
On  the  contrary,  our  words  will  be  all  the  more  credited.  Nothing 
inspires  us  with  so  much  doubt,  and  often  nothing  shows  better  the 


264 


THIRD   PART.      XIX.   INSTRUCTION 


falsity  and  the  dissimulation  of  a  person  than  the  unfortunate  habit  of 
unnecessary  swearing. 

II.  The  next  thing  forbidden  by  the  Second  Commandment,  is 
blasphemy.  Blasphemy  consists  in  words,  or  a  discourse  injurious  to 
God,  to  the  saints,  or  to  religion.  Thus,  a  person  blasphemes  if  he 
attributes  to  God  what  is  not  becoming  to  Him,  if  he  refuses  to  Him 
what  belongs  to  Him,  or  if  he  places  certain  creatures  on  an  equal  foot- 
ing with  God,  by  words  like  :  This  is  as  true  as  there  is  a  God.,  as  God 
sees  me.,  as  God  hears  me.  ...  A  person  also  blasphemes  if  he 
speaks  of  God  or  to  God  with  contempt  and  in  a  haughty  tone,  as  did 
the  Jews,  when  they  bent  their  knee  before  the  cross  and  said  :  If 
thou  art  the  Son  of  God.,  come  down  from  the  cross,  and  ive  will 
believe  in  Thee ;  or  like  Julian  the  Apostate,  who,  finding  himself 
mortally  wounded,  took  a  handful  of  his  blood  and  threw  it  towards 
heaven,  and  cried  out :  Galilean,  thou  hast  conquered.  A  person  also 
blasphemes  if  he  associates  the  name  of  God  with  pagan  expressions, 
such  as  "  In  the  name  of  all  the  gods,'^  or  if  he  says,  "  May  the  devil 
take  me  if  I  do  not  speak  the  truth  '^;  *May  I  drop  dead  if  I  do  not 
speak  the  truth.  ^* 

Blasphemy  also  includes  injurious  words  against  the  saints  or  against 
religion.  Thus,  those  blaspheme  who  rail  at  or  about  the  saints  in 
heaven ;  who  attribute  to  them  vices  or  faults,  who  mock  at  their  mir- 
acles, at  their  canonization,  or  at  the  honors  one  renders  them.  Those 
blaspheme  who  deny  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  some  of  her  august  prerog- 
atives, such  as  her  immaculate  conception,  her  perpetual  virginity, 
her  divine  maternity.  Finally,  those  blaspheme  who  speak  evil  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  of  her  doctrine,  of  her  commandments,  or  who  pre- 
tend that  all  religions  are  good,  and  that  Protestants  can  save  them- 
selves as  well  in  their  religion  as  in  ours. 

Blasphemy  is  a  very  great  crime,  for,  says  St.  Jerome,  the  blasphemer 
attacks  the  very  perfections  of  God.  In  the  other  crimes  it  is  the  in- 
ordinate love  of  pleasures,  of  goods  or  honors,  which  makes  the  sin ; 
but  in  blasphemy  it  is  the  contempt  and  hatred  shown  to  God  Himself. 
The  impure,  the  thief,  the  drunkard,  may  find  a  kind  of  excuse  in  the 
violence  of  the  passions  that  drag  them  along ;  but  what  excuse  can 
he  allege  who  blasphemes  the  holy  name  of  God  only  through  hatred 
or  contempt?  In  the  Old  Law  the  most  terrible  chastisements  were 
decreed  against  blasphemers.  The  son  of  an  Israelite  woman  was 
condemned  to  be  stoned  to  death  for  having  blasphemed  in  a  quarrel. 


ON  THE   SECOND   COMMANDMENT 


265 


The  army  of  Sennacherib,  king  of  Assyria,  composed  of  a  hundred 
and  forty-five  thousand  men.  was  exterminated  in  one  night  by  the 
destroying  angel,  and  Sennacherib  himself,  on  his  return  to  Nineveh, 
was  assassinated  by  his  own  children,  because  he  had  blasphemed  in 
saying  that  the  God  of  Israel  could  no  more  resist  his  armies  than  the 
gods  of  his  own  nation.  Under  the  New  Law  the  most  severe  pun- 
ishments have  been  enacted  against  blasphemers,  not  only  by  the 
Church,  but  also  sometimes  by  Christian  princes.  St.  Louis,  king  of 
France,  ordered  that  the  tongue  of  convicted  blasphemers  should  be 
pierced  with  a  redhot  iron. 

Blasphemy,  besides  outraging  God,  also  draws  down  great  misfor- 
tunes upon  the  head  of  the  blasphemer.  Who  has  not  heard  of  the 
famous  apparition  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  to  the  shepherds  of  La  Sal- 
ette,  and  of  the  prediction  she  made  to  them  of  the  terrible  afflictions 
which  would  befall  France,  on  account  of  its  blasphemies  and  the  prof- 
anation of  Sunday,  if  the  people  did  not  hasten  to  do  penance?  This 
was  in  1846.  The  admonitions  of  heaven  were  not  listened  to,  and  I 
need  not  remind  you  of  the  stormy  revolution  which  broke  out  in  that 
unfortunate  country  two  years  afterwards,  and  which  caused  such 
great  misfortunes  to  both  Church  and  State ;  nor  of  that  long  series 
of  pestilential  diseases  of  men,  animals,  and  even  plants,  which  has 
not  ceased  to  afflict  the  country  since  that  time.  These  are  solemn 
lessons  which  God  is  pleased  to  give  from  time  to  time ;  and  woe  to 
us  if  we  do  not  profit  by  them. 

in.  The  Second  Commandment  also  forbids  cursing.  Cursing  is 
to  wish  evil  to  oneself  or  to  others,  even  to  inanimate  things.  For  in- 
stance when  one  says  :  "  May  the  devil  take  you  *^ ;  ^*  May  I  die,  if  I 
do  not  do  .  .  .  if  I  do  not  say  "  ;  "  May  my  hands,  my  arms,  my 
feet  wither  away  ** ;  ^*  I  wish  I  had  never  been  born  '* ;  "I  wish  I  had 
been  smothered,  strangled  in  my  cradle;**  "May  God  damn  my 
soul.     .     .     .** 

Alas !  my  brethren,  these  and  similar  expressions  are  heard  only  too 
frequently.  Fathers  and  mothers  curse  their  children,  husbands  curse 
their  wives,  or  wives  curse  their  husbands ;  everywhere  we  hear  per- 
sons cursing  everybody  and  everything. 

Cursing,  undoubtedly,  is  a  great  sin,  at  least  when  one  acts  with  re- 
flection and  with  the  desire  that  the  curses  should  come  into  effect.  If 
Jesus  Christ  condemns  to  hell-fire  any  one  who  says  an  injurious  word 
to  his  brother,  what  will  be  the  lot  of  those  who  daily  consign  them- 


266  THIRD   PART.      XX.    INSTRUCTION 

selves  or  consign  others  to  death  or  to  hell?  And  even  if  one  did  not 
desire  that  such  w^ords  should  have  their  effect,  it  is  always  a  sin,  be- 
cause it  is  always  outrageous  and  scandalous  language,  a  language  essen- 
tially opposed  to  the  spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  is  a  spirit  of  peace  and 
meekness.  It  is  true,  if  the  curses  have  for  their  object  only  inanimate 
things  or  irrational  creatures,  if  there  is  no  real  intention  to  hurt,  the 
sin  is  not  so  great.  But  it  is  always  a  sin,  because  to  curse  the  crea- 
ture, is,  in  some  manner,  to  curse  the  Creator  Himself. 

Therefore,  you  must  carefully  avoid  these  odious  words  inspired  by 
hatred  or  anger.  And  of  what  use  are  all  the  curses  which  you  make 
either  against  yourselves  or  against  others.''-  And  what  would  you  say 
if  God,  justly  irritated,  should  listen  to  them  ?  If,  for  example,  when 
you  say  ^^  May  the  thunder  strike  you,*  He  would  cause  the  lightning 
to  strike  the  person  whom  you  curse  ?  It  would  be  only  what  you  de- 
serve because  you  demanded  it„  And  do  not  tell  me  that  it  is  only 
in  anger  that  you  speak  thus.  This  is  an  idle  and  false  justification. 
You  cannot  excuse  yourself  for  one  sin  by  another ;  and  that  violent 
passion  vv^hich  pushes  you  on  to  cursing  is  only  another  sin,  and  renders 
you  all  the  more  blameworthy  before  God.  Do  not  say,  too,  that  it  is 
only  a  habit,  for  we  are  obliged  to  get  rid  of  all  bad  habits. 

Such  are,  my  brethren,  the  sins  forbidden  by  the  Second  Command- 
ment ;  unnecessary  oaths,  blasphemy,  and  cursing.  Let  us  examine 
our  consciences,  and  if  we  find  ourselves  guilty  on  any  of  these  points, 
let  us  humbly  ask  pardon  of  God  for  our  offenses,  and  take  firm  reso- 
lutions to  do  better  in  future,  to  repair  the  past  by  entertaining  in  our 
hearts  Christian  sentiments,  and  by  always  speaking  with  profound 
respect  for  God  and  with  a  sincere  love  for  our  brethren.     Amen. 


XX.  INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Second  Commandment    (  Concluded) 

In  the  preceding  instruction  you  have  seen,  my  brethren,  what  the 
Second  Commandment  forbids ;  there  remains  for  us  to  speak  of  what 
it  commands.  It  commands  principally  two  things  :  Respect  for  the 
holy  name  of  God,  and  the  fulfillment  of  the  vows  one  has  made. 


ON  THE   SECOND  COMMANDMENT 


267 


I.  Respect  for  the  Holy  Name  of  God. —  This  is  a  consequence  of 
the  very  words  of  the  precept :  "  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the 
Lord  thy  God  in  vain  ** ;  for  to  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  vain,  is 
not  only  to  swear  falsely  and  unnecessarily,  but  also  to  pronounce  His 
holy  and  adorable  name  without  respect. 

The  name  of  God  is  holy  and  terrible,  says  the  prophet  (Ps. 
III.  9)  ;  and  we  should  celebrate  its  praises  yro;«  the  rising  of  the  sun 
unto  the  going  down  of  the  same  (Ps.  cxii.  3).  Under  the  Old  Law 
it  was  forbidden  to  the  people  of  Israel  even  to  pronounce  this  dread 
name.  The  high-priest  alone  was  permitted  to  pronounce  the  name 
of  Jehovah,  and  then  only  once  a  year. 

What  is  the  name  of  God?  It  is  the  name  of  Him  who  is  the 
principle  as  well  as  the  end  of  all  things,  who  reunites  in  Himself 
all  possible  and  imaginable  perfections,  and,  before  whom  all  the 
heavenly  powers  bend  in  adoration,  chanting  continually  :  Holy,  holy, 
holy  is  the  God  of  hosts. 

The  New  Law,  which  is  a  law  of  love,  does  not  forbid  us  to  pro- 
nounce and  invoke  this  holy  name.  On  the  contrary,  it  invites  us  to 
invoke  it  frequently,  and  it  is  found  repeatedly  in  the  prayers  which 
the  Church  teaches  us.  Therefore,  we  can  and  even  ought  to  pro- 
nounce and  invoke  it ;  and  the  more  w^e  invoke  it  the  more  glory  and 
honor  we  render  to  it.  Besides  the  invocation  of  this  adorable  name 
will  be  for  us  a  source  of  consolations  and  graces  in  the  midst  of  our 
troubles  and  needs,  if  we  invoke  it  with  all  the  respect,  the  confidence, 
and  the  love  which  it  deserves. 

But  be  very  careful  how  you  pronounce  it.  You  would  commit  sin 
if,  with  a  deliberate  intention,  you  were  to  mingle  it  with  your  fits  of 
passion,  your  quarrels,  your  jokes,  or  even  with  your  serious  discourses 
without  necessity.  Oh  !  how  ignorant  or  impious  are  those  Christians 
who  have  continually  the  holy  name  of  God  in  their  mouths,  and  who 
are  not  afraid  to  associate  it  with  the  most  unbecoming  words,  with 
the  coarsest  expressions,  and  with  the  most  frightful  curses ! 

II.  The  Fulfillment  of  I  'ovjs  One  Has  Made.  This  is  an  important 
matter,  and  which  requires  some  developments. 

1st.  What  Is  a  Vow? — A  vow  is  a  deliberate  promise  made  to  God 
to  do  something  which  it  is  better  to  do  than  not  to  do.  The  vow  is  a 
promise  .  .  .  and  not  a  simple  resolution  or  project  to  do  a  cer- 
tain thing;  as,  for  example,  to  make  a  pilgrimage  to  a  chapel  conse- 
crated to  the  Blessed  Virgin  or  to  some  other  shrine.     .      .      .     If  it  is 


268  THIRD   PART.      XX.   INSTRUCTION 

only  a  resolution  there  is  no  rigorous  obligation  to  fulfill  it.  Here 
many  persons  deceive  themselves.  They  make  a  resolution  to  make  a 
no  vena,  to  make  a  pilgrimage,  and  they  think  they  have  made  a  vow. 
There  cannot  be  any  vovs^  as  long  as  one  does  not  promise  God  to  do 
something  pleasing  to  Him  with  the  intention  to  oblige  oneself  to  do 
it.  A  vow  does  not  consist  in  reciting  certain  prayers  during  a  certain 
number  of  days,  or  in  oflFering  Masses  in  honor  of  a  saint,  or  in  perform- 
ing any  other  good  work ;  it  consists  in  the  promise  made  to  God  to 
do  a  certain  act  of  piety,  of  charity,  or  of  mortification.  It  is  an  en- 
gagement which  one  makes  and  which  one  cannot  violate  without  sin. 

A  vow  is  a  deliberate  promise  made  with  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  matter,  with  all  the  attention  usually  given  to  serious  things  and 
with  a  free  will;  and  a  promise  made  to  God,  because  the  vow  is  an  act 
of  supreme  adoration  which  belongs  to  God  alone.  A  vow  cannot  be 
made  to  a  saint;  when  any  one  says  that  he  has  made  a  vow  to  a  saint 
or  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  he  simply  means  that  he  has  placed  himself 
under  their  special  protection,  to  obtain  from  God,  through  their  in- 
tercession, the  graces  of  which  he  is  in  need.  Finally,  we  say  that 
a  vow  is  the  promise  .  .  .  of  a  thing  which  it  is  better  to  do  than 
not  to  do.  A  vow  cannot  be  made  to  do  something  bad,  as  theft,  re- 
venge, nor  to  do  something  indifferent,  such  as  taking  a  walk  ;  nor  of 
a  thing  which  would  hinder  a  greater  good,  as  marriage  which  ex- 
cludes the  more  excellent  state  of  virginity.  The  thing  one  promises 
to  God  must  be  good  and  useful,  such  as  prayer,  fasting,  almsgiving; 
the  practice  of  chastity,  pilgrimages,  and  other  acts  of  devotion. 

2d.  There  are  four  kinds  of  vows  :  The  absolute  vow,  the  condi- 
tional vow,  the  simple  and  the  solemn  vow. 

The  absolute  vow  depends  upon  no  condition,  such  as  :  **  I  vow  to 
give  twenty -five  dollars  to  the  poor.^^  The  conditional  vow  depends 
upon  some  contingency ;  for  example,  I  make  a  vow  to  make  a  pil- 
grimage if  I  recover  my  health.  A  simple  vow  is  one  which  one 
makes,  either  in  public  or  in  private,  but  which  is  not  solemnly  ac- 
cepted by  the  Church,  and  from  which  bishops  generally  can  dispense. 
A  solemn  vow  is  one  which  is  acknowledged,  accepted,  and  in  some 
way  sanctified  by  the  Church,  as  are  the  three  vows  of  obedience, 
poverty,  and  chastity  made  in  certain  religious  orders,  and  the  dispen- 
sation from  which  is  reserved  to  the  Pope. 

3d.  Three  things  are  necessary  that  a  vow  made  be  valid:  Knowl- 
edge, liberty,  and  the  power  to  do  what  is  promised.    First,  knowledge 


ON   THE   SECOND   COMMANDMENT 


269 


is  necessary  for  all  moral  actions  and  with  more  reason  is  it  necessary 
in  an  action  so  important  as  a  vow.  Thus,  an  insane  person,  a  man  in 
a  fit  of  passion,  a  man  who  is  drunk  or  delirious,  a  very  young  child, 
and  any  one  whose  ignorance  is  so  great  that  he  does  not  know  either 
the  nature  or  the  force  of  a  vow,  cannot  make  a  vow;  and  if  he  made 
any  it  would  be  null  and  void.  Second^  liberty.  A  boy  under  the 
age  of  fourteen,  and  a  girl  under  the  age  of  twelve,  cannot,  according 
to  the  general  opinion  of  theologians,  make  solemn  vows,  because  the 
Church  would  not  accept  them.  They  may,  however,  if  their  reason 
be  sufficiently  developed,  make  simple  vows.  So,  also,  vows  made 
through  compulsion  or  great  fear  would  be  invalid.  Thus  if  a  girl 
consents  to  be  a  religious  only  in  order  to  avoid  great  evils  with 
which  her  father  threatens  her,  her  religious  vows  would  not  be  valid. 
But  if  the  fear  with  which  she  is  inspired  should  not  be  unjust,  or  if  it 
should  be  derived  from  an  interior  cause,  such  as  a  grave  illness,  her 
vows  would  not  be  null  and  void.  Thirds  the  thing  vowed  must  be 
within  the  power  of  the  one  who  makes  the  vow.  Children,  before 
the  age  of  puberty,  cannot  make  certain  vows  without  the  consent  of 
the  parents;  neither  can  a  husband  without  the  consent  of  his  wife, 
nor  the  wife  without  the  consent  of  her  husband,  in  regard  to  things  for 
which  they  depend  one  upon  another. 

4th.  Is  it  useful  to  make  vows?  Yes,  it  is  very  useful  and  very 
praiseworthy  to  make  them,  provided  they  are  made  with  great  pru- 
dence. It  is  incontestable  that  a  work  performed  through  a  vow  is  more 
agreeable  to  God  than  otherwise,  because,  besides  the  ordinary  merit 
which  is  proper  to  it,  it  has  also  the  merit  of  being  consecrated  by  religion, 
and  because  in  obliging  ourselves  by  a  vow,  we  offer  to  God  a  greater 
gift,  on  account  of  the  sacrifice  we  make  of  our  liberty.  In  the  hom- 
age we  render  to  God  by  the  vow,  we  imitate  the  generosity  of  the 
man  who  gives  to  his  friend,  not  only  the  fruit  of  the  tree  but  the  tree 
itself,  not  only  the  use  of  a  thing  but  the  thing  itself.  At  all  times, 
even  under  the  Mosaic  law,  vows  were  made,  and  God  was  often 
pleased  to  bless  them  in  a  special  manner.  In  the  history  of  the 
Church,  how  many  miracles  were  wrought  and  how  many  graces 
obtained  in  consequence  of  vows!  Clovis,  King  of  France,  seeing 
his  army  in  danger  of  being  conquered  by  the  Allemani  (the  Germans), 
made  a  vow  to  embrace  the  Christian  religion  if  he  were  victorious 
over  his  enemies,  and  he  gained  a  complete  victory.  About  two 
hundred  years  ago,  the  city  of  Marseilles  was  ravaged  by  a  frightful 


2^0  THIRD   PART.      XX.    INSTRUCTION 

pest,  and  its  pious  bishop  and  principal  inhabitants  made  a  vow  to  the 
Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  and  the  pest  ceased.  Without  going  back  so 
many  years,  read  the  history  of  Our  Lady  of  Lourdes,  of  Our  Lady  of 
Einsiedlen,  in  Switzerland,  of  St.  Anne  of  Beaupre,  in  Canada,  and 
you  will  find  circumstantial  and  authentic  details  of  a  number  of  mirac- 
ulous healings  and  all  kinds  of  favors  obtained  through  vows. 

5th.  But  be  careful,  my  brethren,  not  to  make  vows  too  easily, 
because  if  the  engagement  is  once  made  it  must  be  kept.  Persons 
are  sometimes  very  imprudent  in  this  regard.  In  some  great  danger 
or  sickness,  or  in  a  time  of  fervor,  vows  are  made  without  sufficient 
reflection,  and  when  the  danger  is  over  the  vow  is  forgotten.  A 
vow  is  a  serious  thing,  and  there  is  danger  of  grievous  sin  in  neglect- 
ing to  fulfill  it.  A  vow  is  like  an  oath  made  to  God,  and  the  oath 
once  accepted  we  are  obliged  to  comply  with  it  under  pain  of  com- 
mitting perjury.  When  you  make  a  vow,  it  is  as  if  you  said  :  **Lord, 
I  promise  this  to  Thee,  and  I  testify  by  Thy  infinite  power  and  justice 
that  I  will  be  faithful  to  it.  If  I  fail  in  my  promise,  I  offer  myself  to 
Thy  wrath,  and  I  consent  that  Thou  mayst  treat  me  according  to  the 
severity  of  Thy  judgments.'* 

There  is  nothing  more  sacred  than  a  vow.  We  are  free  to  make  it 
or  not  to  make  it ;  but  when  once  we  have  engaged  ourselves,  we  are 
bound  to  fulfill  it  in  the  same  way  that  we"  promised  it.  Theologians 
teach  that  it  would  be  a  mortal  sin  to  defer  the  fulfillment  of  a  vow 
for  two  or  three  years.  If  we  find  it  impossible  or  exceedingly  diffi- 
cult to  accomplish  our  vow,  one  ought  to  ask  to  be  dispensed  from  it 
or  to  have  it  changed  by  some  ecclesiastical  superior  or  confessor, 
who  has  the  power  to  do  so.  But  before  doing  so,  it  would  be  good 
to  ask  a  wise  confessor  for  instruction  in  regard  to  the  matter. 

My  brethren,  take  the  resolution  never  to  pronounce  the  holy  name 
of  God  without  respect,  never  to  make  a  vow  without  mature  reflec- 
tion, and  fulfill  exactly  any  vow  you  may  make.     Amen. 


ON  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT  271 

XXI.     INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Third   Commandment 

Remember  Thou  Keep  Holy  the  Sabbath  Day 

I.  God,  after  having  commanded  us  to  adore  Him  and  Him  alone, 
to  honor  and  respect  His  holy  name,  prescribes  to  us  in  the  third  com- 
mandment the  time  when  He  requires  from  us  a  particular  worship  : 
Remember  thou  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day  (Ex.  xx.  8).  All  time 
belongs  to  God,  indeed,  because  He  is  the  author  of  all  things.  How- 
ever, as  we  are  all  condemned  to  labor,  and  as  this  labor  distracts  the 
mind  from  God  and  draws  it  to  earthly  things,  God  has  set  apart  one 
day  of  the  week,  to  be  especially  consecrated  to  His  worship. 

This  particular  day  was  formerly  Saturday,  as  can  be  seen  by  the 
words  of  the  precept :  Remember  thou  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day.  God 
wished  thereby  to  recall  to  the  mind  of  man  the  seventh  day  on  which 
He  rested,  after  having  employed  six  days  in  the  creation  of  the  uni- 
verse. It  would  still  be  Saturday  which  we  should  have  to  sanctify, 
if  we  were  under  the  law  of  Moses.  But  the  Church,  instructed  by 
Jesus  Christ,  and  guided 'by  the  Holy  Ghost,  changed  the  day  to  Sun- 
day, called  the  Lord's  Day,  and  wished  that  instead  of  sanctifying  the 
last  day  of  the  week,  we  should  sanctify  the  first.  The  apostles  them- 
selves made  this  change,  for  we  read  in  their  Acts,  as  well  as  in  the 
first  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  and  in  the  writings  of  the 
Fathers  of  the  first  centuries,  that  the  faithful  assembled  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week  to  break  the  bread,  to  assist  at  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass  and  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  The  reason  that  moved  them  to 
consecrate  the  Sunday  to  the  worship  of  God  was,  because  on  Sunday 
were  accomplished  the  principal  mysteries  of  our  holy  religion,  such 
as  the  resurrection  of  the  Redeemer  of  mankind,  and  the  descent  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the  apostles. 

II.  Two  things  are  necessary  for  the  sanctification  of  Sunday  : 
a  rest  from  servile  work  and  the  practice  of  the  duties  of  religion. 

Works  are  of  three  kinds:  servile^  liberal^  and  common  works. 
Servile  works  are  those  in  which  the  body  has  a  greater  part  than  the 
mind,  and  which  are  performed  for  wages  or  gain,  as  tilling  the  soil, 
and   the  mechanical    arts.     Liberal  works   are  those   which   depend 


272 


THIRD  PART.      XXI.   INSTRUCTION 


more  upon  the  mind  than  upon  the  body,  and  which  tend  directly, 
not  to  make  money,  but  to  cultivate  the  mind,  such  as  reading,  writ- 
ing, teaching,  drawing  and  music.  Cotnmon  works  are  those  which 
require  the  exercise  of  both  mind  and  body,  and  which  are  performed 
indifferently  by  all  classes  of  peoples,  rich  or  poor,  masters  or  serv- 
ants, and  of  which  gain  is  not  the  determinating  motive,  as  games, 
hunting,  fishing,  traveling,  etc. 

Liberal  works  are  not  forbidden  on  Sunday,  provided  that  they  do 
not  keep  us  away  from  divine  service.  Common  works  are  also  toler- 
ated, unless  too  much  time  is  employed  in  them.  Thus,  if  in  the  in- 
tervals between  divine  service,  some  hours  are  devoted  to  recreation, 
no  harm  is  done  and  the  Sunday  is  not  violated.  But  the  whole  day, 
or  too  great  a  portion  of  the  day,  must  not  be  spent  in  amusement, 
for  that  would  be  contrary  to  the  ends  for  which  Sunday  was 
instituted,  which  are  prayer,  the  service  of  God,  and  our  own  sancti- 
fication.  To  go  hunting,  fishing,  or  traveling  on  Sunday  is  not 
sinful  in  itself,  but  to  make  the  Sunday  a  day  of  dissipation  and 
amusement,  and  neglect  our  religious  duties,  would  be  a  desecration 
of  the  Lord's  Day. 

III.  Servile  works  are  expressly  forbidden  on  Sunday.  Six  days 
thou  shalt  labor,  and  shall  do  all  thy  works.  But  on  the  seventh  day 
is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord ;  thou  shalt  do  no  work  on  it,  thou  nor  thy 
son,  nor  thy  daughter,  nor  thy  man-servant,  nor  thy  maid-servant,  nor 
thy  beast,  nor  the  stranger  that  is  within  thy  gates  (Ex.  xx.  9-10). 
Nothing  can  be  clearer  than  these  words,  and  the  punishment  of  those 
who  broke  the  Sabbath  was  death  :  Whosoever  shall  do  any  work  on 
that  day  shall  die  (Ex.  xxv.  15).  An  example  is  stated  in  the  Old 
Testament  of  a  man  who  was  found  gathering  dry  wood  on  the  Sab- 
bath day,  and  who  was  cast  into  prison  and  stoned  by  the  people, 
according  to  the  order  of  the  Lord  (Num.  xv.  32—36). 

All  the  Doctors  of  the  Church  and  all  the  Councils  have  constantly 
taught  that  servile  works  are  forbidden  on  Sunday.  The  Fathers  of  a 
Council  of  Paris,  held  in  the  year  829,  decreed  that:  "  Those  who  per- 
form servile  works  on  Sundays  and  holy  days  obscure  the  brightness 
of  religion  and  blaspheme  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  Lord, 
justly  irritated,  will  not  always  defer  to  the  future  life  His  vengeance  for 
these  sacrilegious  infractions.'^  And  they  report  that  in  their  time  of 
certain  persons  who  despised  the  divine  law  and  worked  on  Sunday, 
some  were  struck  by  lightning,  others  were  struck  with  sickness,  others 


ON   THE   THIRD   COMMANDMENT 


273 


burnt  to  death  in  the  fields.  They  declare  that  they  saw  with  their 
own  eyes  some  of  these  striking  punishments,  and  that  they  heard  of 
others  from  witnesses  worthy  of  belief. 

It  is  certainly  just  and  proper  not  to  work  on  Sunday,  for  is  it  not 
the  Lord's  day,  the  day  which  the  Lord  has  made,  which  he  has  re- 
served for  Himself,  which  He  has  selected  among  all  others  in  memory 
of  the  day  of  rest  after  the  six  days  of  creation,  and  which  He  has 
especially  set  apart  for  His  worship?  Just  as  the  princes  of  the  earth 
have  their  days  of  great  reception  and  of  solemn  audience,  so  also  God 
desires  that  among  the  seven  days  there  should  be  one  which  men 
should  consecrate  entirely  to  His  worship. 

Sunday  is  the  day  of  the  inner  man,  the  day  set  apart  to  nourish 
and  strengthen  man  in  virtue,  to  elevate  him  in  mind  and  heart  to 
God,  his  last  end.  There  are  two  men  in  each  of  us  :  the  earthly  man 
and  the  moral  man.  The  earthly  man  nourishes  himself  with  bread 
and  has  six  days  out  of  seven  in  which  to  provide  for  his  wants ;  but 
the  moral  man  lives  on  prayer,  the  word  of  God,  meditation,  spiritual 
reading,  grace,  and  the  sacraments.  To  preserve  and  nourish  this 
moral  life  in  man,  what  is  more  useful  and  necessary  than  a  day  of 
rest  from  labor  and  from  w^ordly  affairs,  so  that  man  can  recollect  him- 
self, think  about  the  miseries  of  his  soul,  and  labor  more  efficaciously 
for  his  eternal  salvation.'* 

Sunday  is  the  day  of  the  family.  The  other  days  of  the  week 
often  find  the  members  of  the  family  dispersed  and  isolated;  the  father 
looks  after  his  affairs  or  his  work,  the  mother  has  her  cares  in  the 
household,  the  children  are  at  school  or  learn  some  trade.  Sunday 
brings  them  all  together ;  it  unites  them  around  the  paternal  table  and 
hearth,  it  procures  to  them  all  the  purest  and  sweetest  joys  of  life, 
and  furnishes  to  them  at  the  same  time  the  occasion  to  instruct  and 
edify  themselves  mutually. 

Sunday  is  the  day  of  the  parish,  the  social  day  of  the  congregation. 
God  requires  worship  from  the  congregation  in  general  as  well  as 
from  each  one  in  particular,  but  how  could  a  congregation  fulfill  this 
great  duty  towards  God  without  the  Sunday?  What  would  the 
service  and  the  solemnity  of  Sunday  be  without  rest  from  servile 
work?  Moreover,  a  pastor  has  to  feed  the  members  of  his  flock, 
has  to  instruct  them,  to  prepare  them  for  the  sacraments;  but  how 
could  a  pastor  do  all  this,  if  Sunday  were  not  a  day  of  rest  for  his 
people  ? 
18 


274 


THIRD    PART.      XXI.    INSTRUCTION 


The  rest  from  servile  work  on  one  day  of  the  week  is  a  necessity 
for  the  well-being  of  man,  and  even  in  countries  where  the  religious 
motive  of  Sunday  is  missing  the  day  is  a  day  of  rest. 

But  you  may  say :  *  I  must  make  my  living  and  support  my 
children  ;  we  must  eat  on  Sunday  as  well  as  on  other  days.**  Un- 
doubtedly, but  who  gives  you  the  food  of  every  day?  Is  it  not  God 
Himself?  And  if  it  is  God  from  whom  all  things  come,  has  He  not 
the  right  to  impose  rest  from  work  on  one  day  of  the  week?  And 
if  you  are  so  much  in  need  of  work  in  order  to  live,  how  does  it  come 
that  you  are  so  often  unoccupied  on  days  when  working  is  allowed; 
and  that  after  working  on  Sundays  you  are  idle  on  Monday?  ^*But 
is  it  not  better  to  work  on  Sunday  than  to  go  and  spend  my  money  in 
the  saloon  or  at  other  amusements  ?  **  You  should  do  neither  the  one 
nor  the  other.  Sunday  was  not  instituted  to  spend  in  amusement  and 
debauchery.  After  church  services,  retire  to  your  home,  to  the  joys 
of  your  family,  and  spend  some  time  in  pious  exercises  and  in  works 
of  charity.  *But  I  must  work  for  an  employer  who  would  send 
me  off  were  I  to  refuse  to  work  on  Sunday.**  Then  go  and  work  for 
some  one  else.  *^  But  if  I  leave  I  cannot  find  work  elsewhere.**  I 
admit  that  a  great  loss  might  sometimes  be  an  excuse.  But  be  very 
careful  not  to  deceive  yourself,  and  not  to  give  as  a  lawful  reason 
what  is  only  an  idle  pretext. 

IV.  What  are  the  servile  works  which  are  forbidden  on  Sunday? 
They  are  :  ist.  Agricultural  labors.  It  is  forbidden  to  till  the  soil,  to 
dig,  to  sow,  to  reap,  to  gather  in  the  grain  or  hay,  to  plant  trees, 
to  cut  vines,  to  repair  fences,  to  repair  tools,  to  gather  wood  or  fruits, 
to  shear  sheep,  etc.  2d.  The  various  trades,  such  as  those  of  carpenters, 
blacksmiths,  masons,  shoemakers,  tailors,  locksmiths,  etc.  3d.  The 
transportation  of  merchandise,  commodities,  except  in  case  of  neces- 
sity or  when  custom  authorizes  it.  4th.  Markets,  especially  those 
which  are  held  in  public.  In  some  countries  it  is  a  generally  accepted 
custom  that  one  can  buy  and  sell  what  is  necessary  for  daily  use,  as 
provisions  and  clothing. 

It  is  the  common  opinion  among  theologians  that  a  servile  work  of 
two  hours  would  be  sufficient  to  constitute  a  mortal  sin.  Sunday  does 
not  extend  merely  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  as  some  seem  to  believe,  but 
from  midnight  to  midnight. 

V.  There  are  reasons  which  may  make  servile  work  lawful  on  Sun- 
day.    These  are  :  dispensation,  custom,  necessity,  piety,  and  charity. 


ON   THE   THIRD   COMMANDMENT 


275 


1st.  Dispensation. — The  Pope  can  grant  a  dispensation  to  the 
whole  Christian  world;  the  bishop  can  dispense  in  his  diocese;  the 
parish  priest  in  his  parish.  A  confessor  has  no  right  to  grant  dispen- 
sations. All  he  can  do  is  to  decide  whether  the  law  obliges  or  not  in 
certain  cases  presented  to  him.  Dispensation  must  be  asked  for  in 
case  of  doubt  whether  the  reasons  for  servile  work  are  sufficient.  If 
the  reasons  are  evident,  dispensation  need  not  be  asked.  But  it  is 
always  best  to  refer  to  the  parish  priest,  if  possible. 

2d.  Custom^  if  it  is  tolerated  by  the  bishop.  It  is  by  virtue  of  cus- 
tom that  barbers  are  allowed  to  shave  on  Sunday,  provided,  however, 
that  they  do  not  neglect  divine  service. 

3d.  Necessity. — A  harvest  may  be  taken  in  from  the  field  if  it  is 
in  danger  of  being  damaged  by  a  storm  or  rain.  Fire  may  be  kept  up 
in  smelting  furnaces,  brick- works,  glass-works,  and  whenever  it  could, 
not  be  left  to  go  out  without  great  loss.  Meals  may  be  cooked  and 
other  necessary  household  work  may  be  performed.  Necessity  may 
also  excuse  wives,  children,  and  servants,  who  are  forced  to  work  by 
their  husbands,  their  parents,  and  masters,  and  cannot  disobey  with- 
out serious  inconvenience. 

4th.  Piety  authorizes  us  to  adorn  altars  for  a  feast  or  solemnity,  to 
clean  and  sweep  the  church,  and  to  dig  graves  and  bury  the  dead. 

5th.  Charity,  as,  for  instance,  to  extinguish  a  fire,  to  prepare 
remedies  for  the  sick,  to  make  clothing  for  the  poor  in  pressing  neces- 
sity. 

But  there  is  another  kind  of  servile  works  not  less  contrary  to  the 
sanctification  of  Sunday,  namely  crime  and  disorder .,  or  the  works  of 
the  devil.  God  has  given  to  no  person,  says  the  Holy  Ghost,  a  time 
to  commit  sin,  and  much  less  the  day  which  He  has  reserved  for  His 
service.  Grave  theologians,  St.  Antoninus  among  others,  claim  that 
the  circumstance  of  Sunday  adds  to  sin  a  new  degree  of  malice  grievous 
enough  to  make  it  obligatory  to  declare  it  in  confession.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  we  must  admit  that  it  is  a  sinful  desecration  of  the  Sunday  to  em- 
ploy it  for  noisy  gatherings,  bad  company,  dancing,  drunkenness,  and 
debauchery.  What!  cries  St.  Chrysostom,  Sunday  has  been  given  to 
you  to  expiate  the  sins  of  the  week  by  prayer  and  penance,  and  you 
devote  it  to  the  commission  of  new  sins  !  And  of  a  day  which  ought  to 
be  the  holiest  of  all  days  you  make  it  the  worst  of  the  whole  week ! 
Ah !  be  on  your  guard ;  for  the  Lord  says  through  the  mouth  of  the 
prophet  Ezechiel :      They  have  profaned  by  numberless  crimes  the  day 


276 


THIRD   PART.      XXII.   INSTRUCTION 


which  I  have  reserved  Jor  my  -worship  ;  and  I  threaten  to  pour  out  my 
indignation  upon  them,  and  to  accomplish  my  wrath  in  the  desert 
(Ezech.  XX.  21). 

To  sum  up,  Sunday  is  the  day  of  rest,  the  day  of  the  Lord.  If, 
therefore,  you  wish  to  sanctify  this  beautiful  day,  abstain  from  servile 
works,  and  be  not  afraid  to  sacrifice  material  gain  for  the  fulfillment  of 
a  holy  law  as  ancient  as  the  world.  Be  assured  that  labor  on  Sunday 
has  never  brought  happiness  to  any  one.  How  can  you  be  so  foolish 
as  to  risk  your  salvation  for  some  miserable  gain?  But  do  not  be 
content  merely  to  rest  from  servile  work  ;  avoid  sin  and  all  that  might 
give  occasion  to  it,  avoid  dissipation,  shun  bad  company  and  excess 
of  every  kind.  In  one  word,  may  Sunday  always  be  for  you  a  day 
devoted  to  rest,  to  recollection,  and  to  the  practice  of  all  virtues. 
Amen. 


XXII.    INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Third  Commandment   (  Concluded) 

In  the  preceding  instruction  we  said  that  for  the  sanctification  of 
Sunday  one  must,  in  the  first  place,  abstain  from  servile  works. 

But  to  sanctify  the  Lord's  Day,  it  is  not  sufficient  to  abstain  from 
servile  works;  we  must  also  perform  works  of  religion.  This  has  been 
the  constant  teaching  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church  and  the  Councils. 
The  purpose  of  the  precept  is  evidently  to  perform  some  good  works, 
otherwise  a  day  of  mere  rest  from  w^ork  would  end  only  in  vice  and 
sin.  The  works  of  religion  which  we  must  perform  on  Sunday  are 
attendance  at  Mass,  at  the  instructions  and  services  of  the  church, 
prayer,  reading,  and  other  good  works. 

I.  Attendance  at  Mass. —  This  work  of  piety  is  the  most  essen- 
tial of  all,  and  the  Church  strictly  obliges  us  to  this,  when  she  com- 
mands us  :  To  hear  Mass  on  Sunday  and  holy  days.  This  precept  obliges, 
under  pain  of  mortal  sin,  all  the  faithful  who  have  attained  the  use  of 
reason.  Parents  must,  therefore,  send  their  children  to  Mass  as  soon 
as  they  are  about  seven  years  old,  and  teach  them  how  to  hear  Mass, 
otherwise  they  render  themselves  guilty  of  sin  together  with  their 
children. 


ON   THE   THIRD   COMMANDMENT  277 

To  fulfill  this  law  of  the  Church,  you  must :  ist.  Hear  an  entire 
Mass.  To  willfully  miss  a  notable  part  of  the  Mass  is  a  grievous  sin. 
That  part  of  the  Mass  from  the  beginning  to  the  Gospel  inclusive ; 
or  that  which  precedes  the  Gospel  with  that  which  follows  the  com- 
munion of  the  priest ;  or  the  consecration  and  communion,  or  either  of 
them,  is  considered  by  the  theologians  as  a  notable  part.  If  a  less  con- 
siderable part  is  missed,  the  sin  is  only  venial,  but  it  will  be  always  a 
sin.  A  good  Christian  will  make  it  a  duty  to  arrive  before  Mass 
commences,  and  to  leave  only  after  the  last  Gospel. 

2d.  A  person  must  be  morally  present ;  that  is,  he  must  be  united  with 
the  congregation  and  form  only  one  with  the  other  assistants.  He 
should  as  much  as  possible  place  himself  so  as  to  be  able  to  hear  or  see 
the  priest,  because  the  sight  of  the  ceremonies  contributes  greatly  to 
excite  in  us  sentiments  of  fervor,  and  awakens  the  attention.  In  case 
it  is  impossible  either  to  see  or  hear  the  priest,  he  must  at  least  be 
sufficiently  near  to  others  assisting,  in  order  that  by  their  signs  or 
movements  of  piety  he  can  easily  understand  what  takes  place  on  the 
altar.  He  must  be  inside  of  the  church  unless  the  great  multitude,  or 
some  reason  of  health,  prevent  him  from  entering. 

3d.  He  must  assist  with  mind  and  heart;  that  is,  with  attention 
and  respect.  Mere  corporal  assistance  would  not  be  sufficient.  When 
the  Church  commands  her  children  to  hear  Mass,  she  prescribes  an  act 
of  piety  by  which  God  is  honored;  but  what  act  of  religion  would 
there  be  if  a  person  is  present  merely  in  body,  and  if  his  mind  and 
thoughts  are  elsewhere ;  if,  instead  of  thinking  only  of  what  takes 
place  on  the  altar,  of  the  immolation  of  a  God  who  dies  as  a  victim 
for  our  sins,  he  should  think  only  of  the  things  of  this  world,  of  his 
affairs  or  amusements.-* 

To  be  willfully  distracted  during  a  considerable  part  of  Mass,  or 
even  during  the  consecration  or  communion  of  the  priest,  is,  accord- 
ing to  the  opinion  of  several  theologians,  a  grievous  sin  and  a  failing 
against  the  precept.  Distractions  may  come  and  will  come,  but  they 
must  not  be  voluntary.  When  St.  Bernard  entered  the  church,  he 
used  to  stop  at  the  door  and  say  to  all  worldly  and  distracting 
thoughts  :  **  Stay  outside,  and  I  will  think  of  you  again  when  I  leave 
the  church.** 

With  the  attention  must  be  joined  devotion  and  respect.  What 
act  is  there  in  religion  more  holy,  more  august,  than  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass?     Miserable  creatures,  ungrateful  and  rebellious  children  as  we 


278 


THIRD   PART.      XXII.   INSTRUCTION 


are,  we  are  not  worthy  to  assist  at  Mass.  Kneeling  on  both  knees, 
the  hands  folded,  the  eyes  cast  down,  let  us  occupy  ourselves  with 
nothing  else  than  rendering  to  God  our  homage  and  imploring  the 
graces  necessary  for  us ;  let  us  adore  Him  with  all  the  marks  of  recol- 
lection, repentance,  and  love. 

Among  the  different  methods  of  hearing  Mass,  the  most  excellent 
is,  undoubtedly,  the  meditation  on  the  passion  of  the  Saviour;  but 
as  there  are  few  persons  capable  of  doing  this,  the  method  generally 
followed  is  to  read  the  ordinary  of  the  Mass  in  a  prayer-book,  follow- 
ing the  priest  step  by  step ;  or,  for  those  who  cannot  read,  to  say  the 
Rosary. 

Is  it  in  this  manner,  my  brethren,  that  you  have  always  heard 
Mass.?  Did  you  ever  fail  to  assist  at  Mass  by  your  own  fault;  did 
you  always  arrive  in  time?  Did  you  always  assist  with  becoming 
attitude  and  respect?  Ah!  if  you  reflect  well,  what  reproaches  have 
you  not  to  make  to  yourselves,  especially  in  regard  to  the  dispositions 
of  mind  and  heart.  How  many,  indeed,  who,  during  Mass,  occupy 
themselves  only  with  looking  about,  who  think  only  of  their  affairs, 
their  vanities  and  pleasures!  How  many  there  are  who  are  not 
ashamed  to  laugh,  to  talk,  to  amuse  themselves  during  Mass! 

4th.  Only  an  entire  Mass,  said  by  the  same  priest,  satisfies  the  pre- 
cept, and  not  two  halves  of  Masses,  celebrated  by  two  different  priests 
simultaneously,  or  one  after  another. 

Nevertheless,  strict  as  is  the  law  of  hearing  Mass  on  Sunday,  there 
are  reasons  which  dispense.  Physical  impossibility,  as  an  illness  or 
an  infirmity  which  keeps  us  in  bed  or  in  the  house;  moral  iin possibil- 
ity, as,  for  example,  the  care  of  a  sick  person  Avho  cannot  be  left  alone  ; 
great  distance  from  the  church  and  very  bad  weather.  .  .  .  But 
we  must  not  deceive  ourselves  in  this  regard,  by  framing  excuses 
which  are  not  serious  enough  to  justify  us  in  absenting  ourselves. 

5th.  Is  it  the  High  Mass  that  we  must  hear,  or  are  we  free  to  assist 
at  any  Mass?  Although  there  is  no  law  w^hich  strictly  obliges  us  to  at- 
tend High  Mass,  still  a  good  Christian  should  make  it  his  duty  to  assist 
at  High  Mass  in  the  parish  church.  Such  is  the  intention  of  the 
Church ;  she  has  so  declared  herself  in  several  Councils,  and  es- 
pecially in  the  Council  of  Trent,  which  enjoins  even  bishops  to  admon- 
ish their  people  to  assist  at  High  Mass  on  Sundays  and  on  the  principal 
feasts,  and  which  asserts  that  each  one  is  bound  to  this  if  he  can  con- 
veniently do  so  (Sess.   XXIX.).     Moreover,  the  interests  of  our  soul 


ON   THE   THIRD   COMMANDMENT  279 

require  this.  The  Sunday  High  Mass  is  oflFered  up  for  the  members  of 
the  congregation;  the  holy  days,  the  fasts  of  the  week  are  announced 
at  that  Mass,  the  ordinances  of  the  bishop  and  the  banns  of  matrimony 
are  published,  and  the  sermon  is  preached  by  the  pastor,  who  knows 
better  than  anybody  else  the  needs  of  his  flock.  The  pastor  and  the 
parishioners  form  one  and  the  same  family,  a  little  flock  in  the  great 
fold  of  the  Church.  Is  it  not  becoming  that  both  pastor  and  sheep 
assemble  at  least  on  Sunday  to  edify  themselves  mutually,  to  celebrate 
the  praises  of  the  Lord,  and  to  pray  for  one  another?  Let  us,  then,  try 
to  assist  every  Sunday  at  the  Mass  of  the  parish,  unless  some  good 
reason  dispenses  us.  But  in  places  where  there  are  several  Masses  in 
which  the  publications  are  made  and  a  sermon  given,  one  may  assist  at 
any  of  these,  although  one  should  always  prefer  that  which  is  cele- 
brated with  solemnity,  and  which  is  offered  for  the  needs  of  the 
parish. 

n.  Assistance  at  Mass,  my  brethren,  is  the  first  duty  of  piety,  and 
the  only  one  which  is  obligatory,  under  pain  of  mortal  sin,  for  the 
sanctification  of  Sunday.  But  there  are  other  good  works  which  should 
be  performed,  if  circumstances  permit,  such  as  attendance  at  the  in- 
structions of  the  parish  in  the  afternoon,  at  vespers,  prayer,  reading, 
and  other  good  works. 

ist.  It  is  generally  at  High  Mass  that  the  sermon  is  given,  and  this 
is  one  of  the  reasons  why  the  Church  invites  you  to  assist  at  this  Mass. 
It  is  also  very  good  to  attend  the  evenmg  instructions  in  Christian  doc- 
trine, where  you  learn  the  truths  of  salvation  and  the  duties  of  your 
state  of  life. 

The  word  of  God  is  like  a  seed,  and  when  it  falls  upon  good 
ground  it  produces  an  hundred  fold.  It  was  by  the  word  of  God  that 
the  apostles  and  the  disciples  of  the  divine  Saviour  converted  the 
world,  and  it  is  by  the  word  of  God  that  zealous  missionaries  daily  gain 
to  the  faith  thousands  of  heretics,  pagans,  and  savages.  How  many 
sinners  have  been  awakened  from  their  disorders  and  brought  back  to 
virtue  by  hearing  the  word  of  God !  After  the  Blessed  Eucharist,  the 
word  of  God  is  the  greatest  nourishment  of  the  soul.  What  an  abun- 
dant rain  is  for  a  ground  parched  by  the  sun,  instruction  is  for  the 
lukewarm  soul.  The  prophet  Daniel  preferred  it  to  all  the  treasures 
of  the  world  :  The  laiv  of  Thy  mouth  is  good  to  me,  above  the  thou- 
sands of  gold  and  silver  (Ps.  cxviii.  72).  When  our  Saviour  preached, 
the  people  forgot  to  sleep  and  to  eat,  and  followed  Him  everywhere 


28o  THIRD   PART.      XXII.   INSTRUCTION 

listening  to  His  preaching.  How  can  you  better  employ  your  leisure 
moments  on  Sunday  than  by  attending  the  instructions?  Would  it 
not  be  a  criminal  indifference  and  contempt  if  you  were  to  prefer  pleas- 
ure parties,  games,  and  profane  amusements,  to  the  word  of  God  on 
which  your  salvation  depends  ? 

But  it  is  not  sufficient  to  attend  the  instructions  on  Sunday ;  you 
must  also  listen  to  them  with  the  necessary  dispositions.  It  is  not  the 
word  of  a  man  or  of  an  angel,  but  the  word  of  God  Himself;  it  is  the 
word  of  salvation.  When  the  priest  announces  it  to  you  it  is  Jesus 
Christ  Himself  who  speaks  to  you  through  the  mouth  of  the  priest. 
For  Christ  we  are  ambassadors,  God  as  it  were  exhorting-  by  us  (II. 
Cor.  V.  20).  St.  Augustine  says  that  to  be  wanting  in  respect  to  the 
divine  word  would  be  very  much  like  trampling  under  foot  the  blood 
of  the  Saviour.  You  should  deeply  engrave  in  your  mind  the  word  of 
God,  and  often  meditate  upon  it,  according  to  the  example  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin :  She  kept  all  these  words,  pondering  them  in  her 
heart  (Luke  11.  19).  Not  to  reflect  upon  the  word  of  God  after  hear- 
ing it  would  be  to  act  like  those  frivolous  persons  of  whom  St.  James 
speaks,  who,  after  having  looked  at  themselves  in  a  looking  glass,  go 
away,  and  forget  immediately  how  they  looked. 

2d.  You  should  also  assist  at  the  other  services  of  the  Church,  par- 
ticularly at  Vespers.  Vespers  is  the  evening  sacrifice,  as  Mass  is  the 
sacrifice  of  the  morning.  It  is  a  public  prayer,  presided  over  by  the 
ministers  of  the  Church,  in  presence  of  all  the  assembled  people.  It 
is  the  chanting  of  the  Psalms  which  David  sang  before  the  people  of 
Israel,  about  three  thousand  years  ago,  and  which  have  always  been 
chanted  in  the  Church.  The  alternate  chanting  of  two  choirs  repre- 
sents the  chanting  of  the  angelic  choirs  in  heaven.  From  the  ear- 
liest time  of  the  Church  Vespers  have  always  been  solemnly  chanted 
every  Sunday,  and  the  truly  faithful  have  always  assisted  with  great 
piety  at  this  devotion. 

Therefore,  make  it  a  duty,  my  brethren,  to  assist  at  Vespers.  This 
service  is  not,  indeed,  of  precept ;  but  how  can  you  better  employ  the 
evening  of  Sunday  than  by  assisting  at  Vespers,  especially  as  it  is 
generally  accompanied  with  the  Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment ?  Beware  of  the  idleness  of  the  long  hours  that  follow  Mass,  lest 
it  lead  you  to  saloons,  to  frivolous  amusements,  or  into  bad  company. 

3d.  Prayer,  Reading,  and  Other  Good  Works. — A  Christian  who 
fears  God  and  who  has  his  salvation  at  heart,  will  not  content  himself 


ON   THE   FOURTH  COMMANDMENT  28 1 

with  hearing  Mass  and  attending  the  instructions  at  Vespers,  but 
he  will  also  sanctify  the  other  hours  of  the  day  by  pious  exercises, 
such  as  the  way  of  the  cross,  the  saying  of  the  rosary,  pious  medita- 
tion, the   examination   of   conscience,   confession,   and    visits    to    the 

m 

Blessed  Sacrament;  by  some  spiritual  reading  such  as  the  Gospel,  the 
**  Imitation  of  Christ,''  the  "Lives  of  the  Saints,*'  the  "Annals  of 
the  Propagation  of  Faith,"  etc.;  finally,  by  good  works,  such  as  the 
instruction  of  the  ignorant,  visits  to  the  sick,  etc. 

Since  Sunday  is  the  Lord's  day,  it  is  becoming  to  devote  it  entirely 
to  God  if  possible.  Have  we  not  enough  with  six  days  of  the  week 
for  our  business  and  our  diversions?  Is  it  not  just  that  among  the 
seven  days  of  the  week  there  should  be  one  exclusively  reserved  to 
the  service  of  God,  to  celebrate  the  solemnities  of  our  holy  religion, 
and  to  think  seriously  of  the  salvation  of  our  soul  ?  Let  us  sanctify 
the  Lord's  day  by  absolute  suspension  of  all  servile  works,  by  avoid- 
ing sin,  by  attending  the  services  of  the  Church,  by  prayer  and  recol- 
lection ;  and  we  shall  merit  to  celebrate  it  eternally  in  heaven  with 
the  angels  and  saints.      Amen. 


XXIII.     INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Fourth  Commandment 

Honor   Thy  Father  and   Thy  Mother 


DUTIES    OF    PARENTS    TO    THEIR    CHILDREN 

The  Fourth  Commandment  defines  the  duties  of  parents  towards 
their  children  and  of  children  towards  their  parents,  of  masters 
towards  their  servants  and  of  servants  towards  their  masters,  and 
generally  of  superiors  and  inferiors  towards  one  another. 

I.  The  first  duty  of  parents  towards  their  children,  a  duty  which 
embraces  at  once  both  body  and  soul,  and  which  is  the  source  and 
summary  of  all   others,  is  love.      Parents  must  love  their  children. 


282  THIRD   PART.      XXIII.    INSTRUCTION 

This  fundamental  obligation  is  so  engraven  on  man's  heart  that  it 
would  be  useless  to  look  for  its  motives.  A  parent  who  did  not 
love  his  child  would  be  a  monster.  But  parents  should  love  their 
children  in  a  Christian  manner,  that  is,  in  God  and  for  God,  and  they 
should  love  God  still  more  than  they  love  their  children.  Parents 
who  love  their  children  with  a  truly  Christian  affection  will  submit 
themselves  generously  to  the  will  of  God,  when  it  pleases  Him  to  take 
their  children  from  them.  Parents  should  not  love  one  child  more 
than  the  others ;  for  nothing  arouses  hatred  and  jealousy  in  a  family 
more  than  such  preferences.  We  have  a  sad  example  of  this  in  the 
family  of  Jacob.  Jacob  loved  Joseph  more  than  all  his  other  children, 
because  God  had  given  him  this  child  in  his  old  age.  The  brethren 
of  Joseph  soon  remarked  this,  and  they  conceived  such  a  hatred  against 
their  young  brother  that  they  resolved  to  kill  him  :  and  they  would 
certainly  have  done  so,  if  God,  who  reserved  Joseph  for  greater 
things,  had  not  miraculously  delivered  him  from  their  hands.  Never- 
theless, how  many  parents  imitate  the  conduct  of  Jacob !  Because 
a  child  is  their  last  born,  because  it  is  better  formed,  because 
it  has  a  more  agreeable  exterior,  because  it  has  more  talents  than 
the  others,  because  it  resembles  the  father  or  the  mother  more  than 
the  others,  all  their  attentions,  all  their  caresses  will  be  for  him.  He 
will  always  be  better  dressed,  better  fed,  and  be  preferred  in  all 
things  and  everywhere.  Parents  may,  indeed,  love  one  of  their 
children  more  than  the  others,  but  it  should  be  only  because  he  is 
more  obedient  or  more  virtuous ;  but  even  then  this  preference  should 
be  shown  with  so  much  prudence  that  the  other  children  cannot  per- 
ceive it. 

II.  From  the  love  which  parents  owe  to  their  children  flow  all  the 
other  duties  which  they  have  to  fulfill  towards  them.  These  duties 
are  of  two  kinds  :  corporal  duties  and  spiritual  duties,  those  relating 
to  the  body  and  those  relating  to  the  soul.  As  regards  the  body, 
parents  owe  a  threefold  duty  to  their  children.  They  must  guard  and 
preserve  the  lives  of  their  children,  they  must  provide  for  their  sup- 
port, and  they  must  establish  their  children  when  they  are  of  age. 

ist.  Parents  must  Guard  and  Preserve  the  Lives  of  Their  Chil- 
dren both  before  and  after  birth.  Before  birth  a  mother  should  avoid 
undue  exercise  and  labor;  she  should  be  very  careful  not  to  go 
to  excesses  in  eating  and  drinking,  or  fall  into  fits  of  passion.  If 
through    her    own    imprudence   she   should    have   a   miscarriage,    she 


ON   THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT 


283 


would  be  guilty  of  homicide,  according  to  the  opinion  of  St.  Augus- 
tine. The  husband  who  should  illtreat  his  wife,  or  impose  excessive 
labor  upon  her,  would  also  sin  grievously,  even  if  his  severity  or  bru- 
tality did  not  have  any  serious  consequences.  A  mother  would  be 
guilty  of  a  frightful  sin,  if  (God  forbid)  she  were  to  procure  the 
death  of  her  child,  through  drugs  or  any  other  means. 

When  the  children  are  born,  parents  are  obliged  to  see  that  no  acci- 
dent befalls  them.  Babies  should  not  be  left  alone  in  the  house  during 
a  long  time,  lest  they  injure  themselves.  Neither  should  babies  be 
given  in  charge  of  children  who  are  not  strong  enough  to  carry  them, 
nor  careful  enough  to  keep  them  out  of  danger.  Parents  must  be  very 
careful  about  the  food  given  to  babies.  They  should  also  change  the 
linen  whenever  necessary,  and  not  imitate  those  negligent  mothers 
who  have  no  idea  of  cleanliness,  and  who  allow  their  children  to 
suffer  from  vermin  or  filth.  A  mother  ought  to  cease  nursing  her 
child  as  soon  as  she  feels  herself  pregnant,  if  she  can  possibly  do 
so.  Parents  should  not  have  their  child  with  them  in  their  bed.  At 
least  until  it  is  a  year  old  a  baby  should  sleep  alone,  for  at  so  tender 
an  age  there  would  be  danger  of  the  child  being  smothered.  Pope 
Stephen  V.  considered  those  to  be  guilty  of  homicide  whose  child  was 
found  dead  in  their  bed.  Parents  ought  never  to  have  their  grown-up 
children  with  them  in  their  own  bed,  as  very  serious  disorders  and  sins 
might  be  the  consequence.  For  the  same  reason  children  of  different 
sexes  must  not  be  allowed  to  sleep  together.  To  allege  poverty  as  an 
excuse  would  be  insufficient.  Parents  can  never  be  too  careful  of  the 
innocence  and  purity  of  their  children. 

2d.  Parents  Must  Provide  for  the  Support  of  Their  Children. — 
They  are  bound  to  furnish  their  children  food,  clothing,  and  lodging. 
Nature  itself  teaches  this,  and  the  very  beasts  of  the  field  provide  for 
their  young  till  they  are  able  to  help  themselves.  This  obligation  is 
incumbent  upon  them  as  long  as  their  children  are  unable  to  provide  for 
themselves  and  make  their  own  living,  whence  it  follows  :  i .  That  a 
Christian  mother  ought,  as  much  as  possible,  to  nourish  her  child  with 
her  own  milk,  according  to  the  example  of  the  pious  wives  of  the  Old 
Testament,  of  Sara,  of  Rebecca,  and  the  illustrious  mother  of  the 
Maccabees.  A  mother  who  can  nurse  her  child  and  does  not  do  so  is 
only  half  a  mother,  and  the  nurse  becomes  a  second  mother,  and  takes 
from  the  real  mother  a  part  of  the  love  and  of  the  gratitude  of  her  child. 
It  may  happen  that  a  mother  cannot  nurse  her  own  child  on  account  of 


284 


THIRD   PART.      XXIII.    INSTRUCTION 


her  feeble  constitution.  But  if  a  mother  should  not  nurse  her  own 
child  on  account  of  a  false  delicacy,  or  through  vanity  and  pride,  St. 
Gregory  teaches  that  she  would  be  guilty  of  sin.  If  a  mother  is  really 
unable  to  nurse  her  own  child,  she  should  choose  careful  and  watchful 
nurses,  and  especially  nurses  of  a  good  constitution  and  good  morals, 
for,  as  experience  teaches,  children  drink  in  with  the  milk  the  vices  or 
virtues  of  their  nurses. 

2.  Parents  ought  never  to  allow  their  children  to  go  begging,  if 
there  is  no  real  necessity,  because  this  vagabond  life  accustoms  them 
to  idleness,  to  theft,  and  to  immorality ;  debases  them  and  robs  them 
of  every  sentiment  of  delicacy.  If  parents  are  poor,  they  should  work 
and  economize  as  much  as  possible  in  order  to  procure  for  themselves 
and  their  children  the  necessary  food  and  clothing.  If  a  family  is 
in  destitute  circumstances,  then  members  of  the  parish  and  especially 
neighbors,  should  hasten  to  assist  them.  Reason  commands  this,  the 
law  of  God  ordains  it,  and  alms  cannot  be  better  employed.  But 
there  are  many  parents  who  are  poor  through  their  own  fault.  Fami- 
lies are  often  in  need,  on  account  of  idleness,  luxury  or  extravagance. 
Here  it  may  be  an  indolent  and  worldly  mother,  who  spares  nothing 
to  satisfy  her  vanity ;  there  it  is  a  drunken  father,  who  consumes  in 
saloons  all  that  he  earns. 

3.  Parents  are  guilty  of  sin  if  they  squander  in  useless  and  super- 
fluous expenses  the  fortune  which  Providence  has  given  them.  Un- 
doubtedly, they  may  use  it  for  their  wants,  for  charity  begins  at 
home.  They  may  also  do  works  of  charity  according  to  their  means, 
but  they  must  also  think  of  their  children.  Thus,  Christian  parents, 
if  you  possess  property,  try  to  keep  it  in  good  condition  for  your 
children.  But  if  the  estate  is  encumbered,  if  there  are  lawsuits  and 
contests  to  maintain,  embarrassments  to  remove,  try  to  arrange  all 
things  and  to  put  your  affairs  in  order  before  you  die.  Two  things 
that  contribute  most  to  the  ruin  of  families,  are  excessive  expenses 
and  bad  management.  Parents  should  not  wait  until  the  last  moment 
to  make  their  will,  for  it  often  happens  that  at  the  last  moment 
undue  influence  is  exerted  on  a  sick  person,  or  he  may  not  be  in  a 
condition  to  know  what  he  is  doing.  A  father  should  divide  his 
property  equally  among  his  children  as  far  as  possible ;  he  should 
not  favor  one  more  than  another,  except,  perhaps,  when  one  of  the 
children  does  not  merit  his  share  on  account  of  his  bad  conduct  or  for 
some  other  good  reasons. 


ON   THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT 


285 


III.  Parents  Should  Establish  Their  Children  When  They  Are  of 
Age. —  To  live  is  not  all,  says  the  philosopher,  we  must  also  live  honor- 
ably. Now,  to  live  honorably  it  is  not  necessary  to  be  rich,  nor  to 
occupy  a  high  position  in  society ;  it  is  sufficient  to  be  an  honest  man, 
a  good  Christian,  and  to  fulfill  well  the  duties  of  our  state  of  life.  We 
are  not  all  destined  for  the  same  kind  of  life.  Each  one  has  his  par- 
ticular vocation.  One  is  called  to  the  married  state  and  another  to  celib- 
acy ;  one  to  the  ecclesiastical  state  or  to  the  religious  state,  and  another 
to  a  trade  or  a  profession  in  the  world.  There  is  no  man  who,  in  the 
views  of  Providence,  is  not  made  for  some  state.  Each  one  is  obliged 
to  make  use  of  the  necessary  means  to  know  his  vocation  and  to  fol- 
low it  faithfully.  Thus,  if  your  son  appears  to  be  called  to  the  eccle- 
siastical state,  if  he  has  all  the  required  qualities,  and  if  your  position 
permits  you  to  furnish  the  means  for  him  to  enter  this  career,  do  not 
hesitate  to  do  so.  If  your  daughter  desires  to  embrace  the  religious 
state,  and  if  you  have  tested  her  vocation  by  a  long  trial,  you  would 
do  wrong  to  oppose  her  desire.  If  your  son  or  your  daughter  wished 
to  marry,  if  they  are  of  the  required  age,  and  if  a  fitting  companion 
in  life  is  offered,  why  should  you  refuse  your  consent?  You  must  not 
consult  the  need  which  you  may  still  have  of  your  son  or  of  your 
daughter ;  you  must  sacrifice  such  selfish  desires  for  the  good  of  your 
children.  Besides,  as  good  parties  do  not  offer  themselves  every  day, 
to  what  inconveniences  and  disorders  might  not  your  obstinate  refusal 
give  rise.^  Children  should  also  take  the  advice  of  their  parents  and 
do  nothing  without  their  consent ;  marriage  is  a  serious  affair  and 
needs  sober  reflection.  But  parents  should  also  act  reasonably  and  not 
permit  themselves  to  be  guided  by  their  whims.  They  must  consult 
the  taste  and  the  choice  of  their  children,  and  should  never  attempt  to 
impose  an  unwilling  marriage  upon  them.  Such  ill-assorted  mar- 
riages often  breed  nothing  but  discord,  and  may  be  a  cause  of  eternal 
damnation. 

Such  are  the  duties  which  the  Fourth  Commandment  imposes  upon 
parents  in  regard  to  the  corporal  care  of  their  children.  Love  your 
children  in  a  Christian  manner,  and  you  will  find  in  this  love  the 
necessary  strength  to  fulfill  all  your  obligations  towards  them  and  to 
neglect  nothing  that  can  contribute  to  their  welfare  and  happiness. 
You  will  watch  over  their  preservation,  you  will  provide  for  their  sup- 
port, you  will  settle  them  in  life.  Your  tender  cares  for  them  will 
merit  for  you  a  return  of  loving  tenderness  from  your  children,  and  will 


286  THIRD   PART.      XXIV.    INSTRUCTION 

excite  in  their  hearts  sentiments  of  gratitude.  Your  family  will  be 
happy  and  blessed,  and  God  will  give  you  the  reward  promised  to 
good  parents.     Amen. 


XXIV.  INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Fourth  Commandment  (  Confd) 


ON  the  spiritual  duties  of  parents  to  their  children 

When  a  child  is  born  the  first  care  of  Christian  parents  must  be  to 
have  it  baptized.  Would  it  not  be  an  imprudence  and  a  guilty  neglect 
to  let  so  frail  a  creature,  whose  life  is  so  uncertain  and  threatened  with 
so  many  dangers,  be  deprived  for  a  long  time  of  the  sacrament,  which 
alone  can  open  to  it  the  gates  of  eternal  life?  In  some  dioceses  there 
is  a  law  which  obliges  parents,  under  pain  of  excommunication,  to 
present  their  child  for  baptism  within  eight  days  after  its  birth. 

Besides  this  first  duty  which  parents  have  to  fulfill  in  regard  to  the 
souls  of  their  children,  there  are  five  others;  they  must  instruct  them, 
watch  over  them,  correct  them,  give  them  good  example,  and  pray  for 
them. 

I.  As  soon  as  the  intelligence  of  the  child  commences  to  show 
itself,  the  parents  must  instruct  it  in  the  first  elements  of  religion. 
The  knowledge  of  the  existence  of  God  and  of  the  principal  mys- 
teries of  faith,  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  of  a  heaven  for  the  good 
and  a  hell  for  the  wicked,  are  the  first  notions  of  religion  which  must 
be  inculcated  in  the  mind  of  the  child  with  a  simplicity  that  is  becom- 
ing to  such  a  tender  age.  The  child  should  be  taught  to  make  the 
sign  of  the  cross,  to  pronounce  the  name  of  Jesus  and  Mary,  to  recite 
the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  Hail  Mary,  the  Apostles'  Creed,  the  acts  of 
faith,  hope,  and  charity,  the  commandments  of  God  and  the  Church. 
As  the  child  advances,  the  religious  instruction  must  also  be  more 
advanced.  The  Catechism  must  be  learnt,  and  the  child  must  be 
taken  to  the  parish  instructions  and  prepared  for  its  first  confes- 
sion, and,  later  on,  for  its  first  communion. 


ON   THE    FOURTH   COMMANDMENT 


287 


But  mere  instruction  in  the  truths  of  religion  and  the  duties  of 
a  Christian  life  is  not  sufficient.  The  child  must  be  inspired  with  a 
horror  for  vice  and  a  love  for  virtue.  Nothing  has  a  greater  influence 
on  after  life  than  the  impressions  received  in  childhood.  The  Holy 
Ghost  says  :  The  young  man  will  be  in  his  old  age  what  he  has  been  in 
his  youth  (Prov.  xx.  6).  If  the  Ethiopian  can  change  his  skin  or  the 
leopard  his  spots,  you  also  may  do  well  when  you  have  learned  evil 
(Jer.  XIII.  23).  The  child  may  be  compared  to  a  young  tree  which 
can  be  bent  or  strengthened  at  will,  but  which,  when  once  full  grown, 
resists  all  efforts  to  bend  it.  Parents  must,  therefore,  implant  good 
principles  in  their  children,  and  make  them  contract  good  habits  in 
their  youth.  They  must  imprint  in  their  hearts  the  fear  of  God  and 
of  His  judgments ;  they  must  accustom  them  to  obedience,  modesty, 
kindness,  charity,  justice,  and  to  all  Christian  virtues ;  they  must, 
especially,  inspire  them  with  the  greatest  horror  for  sin. 

Parents  must  also  teach  their  children  to  be  respectful,  honest,  and 
well-behaved.  Children,  in  entering  the  world,  will  always  find 
therein  their  superiors,  equals,  and  inferiors.  They  must  be  taught 
how  to  conduct  themselves  towards  everybody.  They  must  be  taught 
to  show  charity  and  indulgence  to  their  inferiors ;  politeness  and  kind- 
ness to  their  equals ;  submission  and  respect  to  their  superiors.  It  is 
especially  necessary  to  impress  upon  children  respect  arid  submission 
to  superiors,  for  we  live  in  a  time  in  which  false  ideas  of  independ- 
ence are  very  prevalent,  in  which  each  one  would  like  to  be  his  own 
master  and  acknowledge  no  authority. 

Parents  must  also  have  their  children  educated  according  to  their 
fortune  and  their  state  of  life.  They  must  send  them  to  school,  that 
they  may  learn  those  elementary  branches  of  knowledge  which  are 
almost  indispensable  in  ordinary  life.  To  neglect  this  in  these  days 
would  be  all  the  more  inexcusable,  since  elementary  instruction  has 
become  so  common,  and  as  the  greatest  facilities  are  afforded  every 
one  to  acquire  it. 

II.  Parents  must  watch  over  their  children.  There  are  states  in  life 
in  which  a  person  can  save  himself  alone,  but  there  are  others  in 
which  this  cannot  be  done.  A  single  person  in  the  world,  a  religious 
in  the  cloister,  have  to  answer  only  for  themselves ;  but  a  father  and  a 
mother  have  to  answer  also  for  their  children. 

Parents  must  see  that  their  children  say  their  prayers  morning 
and  evening ;  that  they  assist  at  Mass,  and  the  other  services  of  the 


288  THIRD   PART.      XXIV.    INSTRUCTION 

parish  every  Sunday,  and  go  often  to  confession;  in  a  word,  that  they 
fulfill  the  duties  of  their  religion.  A  father  or  a  mother  who  would 
not  see  that  their  children  go  to  confession,  at  least  during  Easter 
time,  would  sin  grievously. 

They  must  see  that  their  children  do  not  contract  the  habit  of 
swearing,  lying,  singing  bad  songs,  speaking  injurious  and  impure 
words,  or  doing  wrong  to  their  neighbor.  When  children  are  grown 
up,  parents  must  watch  that  they  do  not  pass  their  time  in  saloons,  in 
frivolous  amusements,  in  going  to  picnics  or  on  excursions.  Finally, 
they  must  watch  over  them,  in  order  that  they  do  not  frequent  bad 
company,  for  this  is  the  greatest  danger  for  young  people.  There  is 
a  well-known  proverb  which  says  :  "  Tell  me  with  whom  you  go  and 
I  will  tell  you  what  you  are.'^  It  is  impossible  for  a  young  man  to 
keep  himself  pure  and  pious  if  he  frequents  the  company  of  the  wicked. 
Parents  must  keep  themselves  informed  of  the  company  kept  by  their 
daughters.  They  should  follow  them  in  their  reunions,  walks,  plays, 
labors,  and  be  inexorable  in  preventing  any  intercourse  that  may  ap- 
pear suspicious.  I  hardly  need  to  speak  of  the  danger  that  lies  in  the 
indiscriminate  gatherings  of  young  men  and  women.  Parents  who 
authorize  such  company  may  be  said  to  sacrifice  their  sons  and  daugh- 
ters to  the  devil.  They  sacrijice  their  sons  and  daughters  to  devils 
(Ps.  cv.  37).  Oh!  how  many  parents  are  there  who  render  them- 
selves guilty  in  this  regard  by  too  much  indulgence !  How^  can  you 
believe  that  these  secret  interviews,  these  meetings,  these  private  con- 
versations are  without  danger?  It  would  be  as  easy  to  play  with  fire 
without  being  burned.  Watch,  watch,  I  implore  you;  and  whatever 
it  may  cost,  forbid  this  kind  of  company.  Sometimes  the  young  peo- 
ple will  excuse  themselves  on  the  plea  that  they  have  marriage  in  view. 
In  this  case  you  should  require  that  the  interviews  take  place  in  your 
presence,  and  that  the  affair  be  settled  as  soon  as  possible. 

III.  Parents  Must  Correct  Their  Children. — Correction  must  ac- 
company instruction  and  watchfulness.  In  vain  would  you  instruct 
your  children  and  watch  over  them,  if  you  did  not  correct  them  when 
necessary.  In  spite  of  all  your  advices  and  cares,  they  will  always 
commit  faults,  and  these  faults  must  be  corrected  :  Tou  parents.,  bring 
up  your  children  in  the  discipline  and  correction  oj  the  Lord 
(Ephes.  VI.  4).  Because  Heli  neglected  to  rebuke  his  two  sons  Ophni 
and  Phinees,  or  because  he  rebuked  them  only  weakly,  whilst  their 
conduct  was  scandalous,  the  wrath  of  God  fell  heavily  on  his  family. 


ON   THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT 


289 


His  two  children  perished  in  battle,  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemies,  and  he  himself,  on  hearing  this  news,  fell 
from  the  chair  on  which  he  was  sitting,  and  died  miserably.  It  is  nec- 
essary to  correct  children,  especially  when  they  are  young,  for  when 
once  they  are  grown  up,  the  bad  habits  have  grown  up  with  them, 
correction  becomes  more  difficult  and  often  even  quite  impossible. 

Correction  should  be  made  prudently  and  according  to  the  circum- 
stances and  the  nature  of  the  fault.  Sometimes  it  must  be  done  with 
kindness,  and  sometimes  with  firmness ;  but  never  with  passion  and 
rudeness.  When  the  fault  is  slight  and  committed  without  malice,  but 
merely  through  human  frailty,  then  correct  with  kindness  and  charity; 
a  simple  remark  \vill  be  often  sufficient.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  fault 
is  serious  and  committed  with  wickedness  and  reflection,  join  firmness 
and  even  severity  with  kindness;  and  if  the  child  persists  in  its  fault, 
and  shows  itself  disobedient  and  rebellious,  be  inexorable,  and  employ 
punishment  if  necessary.  He  that  spareth  the  rod  hateth  his  son.,  says 
Holy  Scripture  (Prov.  xiii.  24).  It  is  a  very  false  love  for  children 
which  permits  them  to  follow  their  own  whims  and  their  own  wills. 
When  you  send  your  children  to  school  do  not  get  angry  because  the 
teachers  correct  them.  The  weakness  of  parents  in  this  respect  is  a 
deplorable  thing.  Some  cannot  suffer  a  teacher  to  inflict  the  least 
punishment  upon  their  children.  But  parents  must  be  prudent  and 
wise  in  their  correction.  Let  charity  and  justice  reign  in  everything. 
Correction  made  in  anger  and  passion  would  be  ineffective  and  defeat 
its  very  end. 

How  few  parents  there  are  who  fulfill  the  duty  of  correction  in  a 
becoming  manner!  Some  become  angry  at  a  child,  and  scold  and  ill- 
treat  it  for  trifling  things,  and  for  the  slightest  failings,  but  sometimes 
let  the  most  serious  faults  pass  without  a  word  of  remonstrance.  Blind 
parents,  what  a  terrible  responsibility  you  assume  before  God,  and 
what  troubles  and  bitternesses  you  are  preparing  for  your  old  age ! 

IV.  Of  all  the  duties  of  parents  towards  their  children,  the  most 
important  is  good  example.  If  good  example  benefits  everybody, 
what  a  great  influence  must  be  exerted  on  children  by  the  good 
example  of  a  father  or  a  mother!  These  examples  are  for  children 
like  a  sacred  authority.  The  exemplary  conduct  of  parents  is  for  the 
children  the  best  of  all  instruction,  the  most  efficacious  of  all  preach- 
ing. In  pursuit  of  virtue,  the  way  of  precept  is  a  very  long  way, 
the  shortest  way  is  the  way  of  example.  If  a  father  and  a  mother  are 
19 


290 


THIRD    PART.       XXIV.    INSTRUCTION 


zealous  in  the  duty  of  prayer  and  confession,  the  children  will  be  the 
same  ;  if  parents  are  laborious,  economical,  just,  and  charitable,  the 
children  will  practice  the  same  virtues:  **As  the  father  so  the  son,  as 
the  mother  so  the  daughter.**  If  all  this  is  true  of  good  example,  it  is 
doubly  so  of  bad  example.  Who  can  imagine  all  the  evil  influence 
of  the  bad  example  of  a  father  and  a  mother  on  the  family !  St.  Au- 
gustine says  that  it  is  almost  a  miracle  to  see  virtuous  sons  when  the 
father  is  given  up  to  vice.  Undoubtedly,  children  are  not  excused 
in  imitating  the  evil  which  they  see  done  by  their  parents;  but  how 
can  one  expect  that  they  will  not  imitate  it.'  How  can  parents  exhort 
their  children  to  practice  virtue  and  avoid  vice,  when  their  own  ex- 
ample belies  their  counsel.  Careless  and  indifferent  fathers,  how  can 
you  tell  your  children  to  go  to  confession,  when  you  do  not  go  your- 
selves; to  assist  at  the  services  of  the  Church,  when  you  do  not  assist 
yourselves  ;  to  pray  in  the  morning  and  evening,  when  you  do  not  do 
so  yourselves.?  And  you,  mother  of  a  family,  how  can  you  teach  your 
daughter  to  be  humble,  reserved,  modest,  to  fly  the  world,  to  employ 
time  well,  when  you  yourself  are  always  indolent,  employed  only 
in  criticizing  others,  neglecting  the  cares  of  your  household,  pursuing 
every  vanity,  and,  perhaps  even  the  most  dangerous  amusements? 
Without  good  example  all  your  good  advice  will  be  useless.  You 
may  send  your  children  to  good  schools,  you  may  intrust  them  to  wise 
teachers,  recommend  them  to  the  care  of  a  wise  and  good  priest ;  all 
pious  practice  will  be  abandoned  and  all  good  instruction  forgot- 
ten when  these  children  are  of  age  and  notice  your  conduct,  and 
can  appreciate  and  judge  your  actions.  The  experience  of  all  time 
proves  this.  I  will  relate  to  you  an  incident  which,  however,  is  very 
consoling  in  the  end.  A  young  man  had  been  a  model  of  piety  until 
to  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  when  he  commenced  to  relax  and  soon 
abandoned  the  sacraments  altogether.  His  pious  mother  who  had  taken 
much  care  with  his  education,  became  alarmed.  She  spoke  to  him  pri- 
vately and  asked  him  the  reason  of  the  change  in  his  conduct.  The 
child  hesitated  .  .  .  but  ended  by  avowing  that  he  had  perceived 
that  his  father,  although  he  passed  for  an  honest  man,  never  went  to 
confession,  and  that  he  wished  to  do  like  him.  Imagine  the  conster- 
nation of  this  pious  mother.  Immediately  she  sought  her  husband, 
and  told  him  what  she  just  heard.  The  father  was  touched,  and  de- 
clared that  he  would  no  longer  delay  in  fulfilling  his  duty,  and  that  he 
would  give  a  good  example  to  his  son.     He  called  his  son  to  him,  and 


ON   THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT  2^1 

together  they  went  to  confession.  From  that  time  on,  the  whole 
family  practiced  religion  in  the  most  examplary  manner. 

Let  parents  look  upon  good  example  as  the  most  important  of  their 
duties.     Good  example  is  almost  an  education  in  itself. 

V.  Parents  Must  Pray  for  Their  Children. — All  grace  comes  from 
God,  and  man  of  himself  can  do  nothing.  In  spite  of  all  the  care, 
and  all  the  watchfulness  of  parents,  it  may  happen  that  their  children 
become  negligent,  and  that  they  even  go  astray  altogether  for  some 
time.  It  is  then,  especially,  that  God's  help  must  be  asked  in  prayer. 
The  holy  man  Job,  always  afraid  that  his  children  might  commit  some 
sin,  offered  sacrifice  for  them  every  day.  It  was  through  the  power  of 
her  prayers  and  tears  that  St.  Monica  obtained  the  conversion  of  her 
son  Augustine. 

Such  are  the  duties  which  the  Fourth  Commandment  imposes  upon 
father  and  mother  in  regard  to  the  souls  of  their  children.  Parents 
will  be  called  on  to  render  an  account  of  the  souls  of  their  children ; 
their  own  salvation  may  depend  in  a  great  measure  upon  the  salvation 
of  their  children.  The  duties  of  parents  towards  their  children  extend 
to  all  those  who  hold  their  place,  such  as  guardians,  grandfathers  and 
grandmothers.  Fulfill  these  duties  faithfully,  my  brethren,  and  you 
will  have  consolation  in  this  world  and  glorious  reward  in  a  happy 
eternity.     Amen. 


XXV.  INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Fourth  Commandment  ( Cont^d) 

Duties  of  Children  Towards  Their  Parents 

All  duties  in  this  world  are  mutual.  Parents  have  grave  and 
extensive  duties  to  fulfill  towards  their  children,  but  children  have 
important  obligations  to  fulfill  towards  their  parents.  By  children  is 
meant  not  only  young  persons  who  are  still  under  the  care  of  their 
parents,  or  who  still  live  under  the  paternal  roof,  but  all  those  whose 
parents  are  still  living. 

The  duties  of  children  towards  their  parents  are  four  in  number : 
love,  respect,  obedience,  and  support. 


292 


THIRD   PART.      XXV.  INSTRUCTION 


I.  Children  Must  Love  Their  Parents. —  It  does  not  need  long 
reasoning  to  prove  that  children  must  love  their  parents.  It  is  the  cry 
of  nature,  and  the  pagans  themselves  taught  that  God  must  be  wor- 
shiped, and  that  parents  must  be  honored.  The  honor  and  respect 
due  to  parents  would  not  be  real  if  they  were  not  founded  in  love.  Re- 
ligion commands  it,  since  God  has  repeatedly  ordained  it:  **  Honor  thy 
father  and  thy  mother."  Gratitude  demands  it.  No  child  that  thinks 
of  all  that  its  parents  have  suffered  for  its  sake  can  fail  to  love  them. 
Good  parents  will  do  everything  for  the  sake  of  their  children ;  they 
will  Heprive  themselves  even  of  the  necessaries  of  life  for  their  sake, 
and  even  expose  their  lives  to  save  them.  A  child  who  would  be  un- 
grateful to  such  good  parents  would  be  worse  than  unthinking  animals, 
who  at  least  show  marks  of  attachment  to  those  from  whom  they  have 
received  life. 

The  love  of  children  for  their  parents  must  not,  indeed,  surpass  their 
love  for  God.  Children  must  love  their  parents  in  God  and  for  the 
sake  of  God,  and  there  is  no  danger  of  loving  their  parents  too  much 
if  they  love  God  aright.  This  love  must  also  be  shown  exteriorly  by 
kind  words,  pleasant  manners,  and  filial  attention  and  service,  bearing 
with  their  failings  and  consoling  them  in  their  troubles. 

II.  Children  Must  Respect  Their  Parents. —  Parents  are  the  rep- 
resentatives of  God  to  their  children,  and  the  cooperators  with  God  in 
their  preservation  and  salvation.  They  hold  the  place  of  God  in  regard 
to  their  children,  and  God  has  bequeathed  to  them  His  rights  and 
authority  :  He  that  feareth  the  Lord  honoreth  his  parents  (Eccl.  iii, 
8).  This  was  acknowledged  even  by  the  pagans,  among  whom  filial 
piety  and  respect  was  always  in  honor.  One  of  the  most  celebrated 
pagan  philosophers  said  that  the  parents  are  as  the  priest  of  the  Most 
High,  consecrated  by  nature  to  that  dignity.  Tertullian  declares  that 
if  it  is  an  impiety  not  to  render  to  God  the  honor  He  merits,  it  is  also  a 
kind  of  sacrilege  to  fail  in  the  respect  due  to  one's  father  and  mother. 
Holy  Scripture  teaches  us  the  manner  in  which  this  respect  should  be 
paid:  Honor  thy  father  from  thy  whole  heart  (Eccl.  vii.  27). 
Honor  thy  father  in  work  and  word  and  all  patience  (Eccl.  in.  9). 
Every  child  owes  its  parents  an  exterior  and  interior  respect.  Interior 
respect  lies  in  the  heart.  A  child  should  cherish  its  parents  above  all 
in  this  life.  It  makes  no  difference  whether  they  are  old,  poor,  infirm, 
rough  in  manners,  and  without  instruction.  It  makes  no  difference 
whether  the  children  have  acquired  great  fortune  or  have  been  raised 


ON  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT  293 

to  a  high  position.  Although  Joseph  had  become  the  minister  of  King 
Pharaoh,  he  descended  from  his  chariot  and  threw  himself  at  the  feet 
of  Jacob,  his  aged  father,  Jesus  Christ,  our  most  perfect  model, 
although  He  was  God,  deigned  to  be  subject  to  Joseph  and  Mary. 

Exterior  respect  consists  in  words  and  in  actions. 

A  respectful  child  always  speaks  to  its  parents  with  humility,  kind- 
ness, and  modesty,  and  never  with  rudeness  and  arrogance.  He  will 
never  say  anything  that  might  shock  them  or  cause  them  pain.  He 
will  never  quarrel  with  them,  raise  his  voice  in  anger  against  them, 
laugh  at  their  remonstrances  or  advice,  or  ridicule  their  defects.  Much 
less  will  he  ever  swear  at  them  and  curse  them.  This  would  be  a  fear- 
ful crime  and  worthy  of  the  vengeance  of  heaven  :  He  that  shall 
curse  father  or  mother,  let  him  die  the  death  (Matt.  xv.  4). 

Better  still  than  by  words,  a  good  child  will  show  by  actions  the 
respect  which  he  has  for  his  parents.  His  good  actions  should  be  the 
expressions  of  the  sentiments  which  he  has  in  his  heart.  A  good  child 
always  keeps  an  attitude  of  modesty  and  submission  in  presence  of  his 
parents.  He  will  receive  their  orders  and  their  advice  with  docility ; 
he  will  avoid  all  signs  of  anger^  impatience,  and  disdain  ;  he  will  com- 
municate to  them  his  projects ;  he  will  take  their  counsel  in  important 
affairs,  and  will  never  undertake  anything  without  their  consent. 

A  good  child  will  bear  with  the  defects  and  failings  of  his  parents. 
Faith  teaches  him  to  bear  with  the  failings  of  everyone  ;  with  how 
much  more  reason,  therefore,  should  he  patiently  support  any  trials  his 
parents  may  cause  him  :  Son.,  support  the  old  age  of  thy  father,  and 
grieve  him  not  in  his  life  (Eccl.  iii.  14). 

The  Sacred  Scriptures  are  filled  with  dreadful  curses  against  unnat- 
ural children  :  The  eye  that  mocketh  at  his  father,  says  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  that  despiseth  the  labor  of  his  mother  in  bearing,  let  the  ravens 
of  the  brook  pick  it  out,  and  the  young  eagles  eat  it  (Pro v.  xxx.  17). 
He  that  curseth  his  father  and  mother,  his  lamp  shall  be  put  out  in  the 
midst  of  darkness  (Pro v.  xx.  20). 

How  many  children  have  experienced  and  still  experience  the  effect 
of  these  dreadful  threats?  The  race  of  Cham  was  forever  proscribed 
and  delivered  over  to  an  eternal  curse  because  he  had  dared  to  laugh  at 
the  nakedness  of  his  father  who  was  asleep.  Listen  to  what  happened 
a  few  years  ago.  A  son  had  dared  to  behave  himself  with  extreme 
violence  towards  his  father  in  a  public  place.  He  even  went  so  far 
as  to  threaten  him  with  a  pickax  which  he  held  in  his  hand,  and  would. 


294 


THIRD   PART.      XXV.   INSTRUCTION 


perhaps,  have  given  him  a  mortal  blow  if  persons  around  had  not 
hindered  him.  What  happened?  This  unfortunate  young  man,  car- 
ried away  by  anger,  left  the  town.  It  was  about  noon  time.  The 
firmament  was  without  a  cloud,  and  the  weather  very  calm  and  serene. 
Nevertheless,  a  violent  stroke  of  thunder  was  heard.  Two  hours  after- 
wards people  came  and  announced  that  this  young  man  had  been  found 
dead  on  the  road.  He  had  been  struck  and  killed  by  lightning.  This 
sudden  and  tragic  end  was  certainly  a  chastisement  of  heaven. 

God  does  not,  indeed,  always  punish  in  so  striking  a  manner.  But 
if  God's  vengeance  is  put  off,  it  is  only  so  much  the  more  dreadful 
when  it  falls.  By  a  particular  design  of  Providence,  children  gener- 
ally imitate  the  conduct  of  their  parents.  If  you  are  respectful  towards 
your  father  and  mother,  you  may  expect  that  your  children  will  be  the 
same  towards  you  ;  but  if  you  are  not,  then  tremble  lest  they  treat  you 
as  disrespectfully  as  you  now  treat  your  own  parents. 

Learn,  my  brethren,  to  always  respect  your  parents,  whatever 
their  age  and  their  failings  may  be;  not  only  will  you  avoid  thereby 
the  vengeances  of  heaven,  but  you  will  merit  the  blessings  and  rewards 
promised  to  those  who  observe  the  Fourth  Commandment :  Honor  thy 
father  and  thy  mother^  that  thou  mayst  be  long  lived  upon  the  land 
(Ex.  XX.  12).  Holy  Scripture  furnishes  a  proof  of  this  in  the  young 
Tobias,  to  whom  God  gave  such  a  virtuous  and  such  an  amiable  wife, 
on  account  of  the  cares  he  had  spent  upon  his  aged  father.  The  ex- 
perience of  every  day  shows  ho\v  Providence  blesses  and  protects  those 
children  who  love  and  respect  their  parents. 

III.  Children  must  obey  their  parents.  The  duty  of  obedience  is  a 
result  of  love  and  respect.  A  child  cannot  love  and  respect  his  parents 
without  being  submissive  and  obedient  to  them.  God  imposes  the  ob- 
ligation in  the  most  expressive  manner:  My  son,  keep  the  command- 
ments of  thy  father  and  forsake  not  the  latv  of  thy  mother  (Prov.  vi. 
20).  Children  obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord,  for  this  is  just  (Ephes. 
VI.  i).  And  even  if  there  were  no  such  rigorous  obligation,  a  child 
would  still  owe  obedience  to  its  parents  on  account  of  the  great  ad- 
vantages which  are  attached  to  it.  The  child  is  without  experience, 
he  does  not  know  the  dangers  of  the  passions  and  of  the  world.  The 
child  is  safe  if  he  obeys  the  commands  of  his  parents,  for  he  is  then 
sure  of  doing  the  will  of  God.  Moreover,  good  order  demands  obedi- 
ence. What  would  a  family  be  where  one  followed  no  rule  except  his 
own  will,  where  everybody  wished  to  rule  and  nobody  to  obey? 


ON   THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT 


295 


Is  it  only  little  children  and  young  people  who  are  obliged  to  obey 
their  parents?  No;  even  those  of  mature  age  owe  submission  to 
their  parents.  The  relation  of  children  to  their  parents  never  changes, 
no  matter  how  old  the  children  become.  Children  owe  to  their  parents 
their  life  and  their  education.  Where  can  they  find  better  and 
wiser  and  more  loving  counselors  than  in  their  parents?  Children  do 
not  owe  obedience  merely  to  their  father  and  mother,  but  a^so  to  all 
those  who  have  any  authority  in  the  family,  to  their  grandfather,  their 
grandmother,  their  father-in-law,  mother-in-law,  uncle  or  aunt.  Chil- 
dren must  obey  their  parents  in  everything  just  and  reasonable.  If  it 
should  unfortunately  happen  that  a  parent  would  command  something 
contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  as  to  steal  or  to  take  revenge  for  an  injury, 
it  is  evident  that  children  must  refuse  obedience. 

Does  a  son  or  daughter  owe  obedience  to  parents,  when  there  is 
question  of  choosing  a  state  of  life,  and  marriage  in  particular?  A 
child  that  fears  God  will  not  decide  on  any  state  of  life,  especially  in 
affairs  of  marriage,  without  having  taken  the  advice  and  obtained  the 
consent  of  his  parents.  Duty  and  prudence  require  this.  Peace  and 
union  in  the  family  is  better  preserved,  and  the  experience  of  parents 
will  come  to  the  aid  of  the  children.  But  if  the  parents  are  plainly 
unreasonable  in  this  matter,  a  child  is  permitted  to  act  against  their 
will  if  he  is  convinced  of  the  wisdom  of  his  course. 

Children  must  oBey  their  parents  in  God  and  for  God,  because 
it  is  God  who  commands  the  children  through  the  mouth  of  their 
parents.  They  must  obey  promptly,  and  without  hesitation,  for  if 
they  were  to  obey  only  after  having  deliberated,  hesitated,  and  rea- 
soned, w^hat  merit  would  there  be  before  God  and  inen  ?  Who  does 
not  know  of  the  touching  example  of  young  Samuel?  Children  must 
obey  ■willingly ,  for  if  they  obey  only  in  murmuring  they  do  not  show 
their  parents  the  respect  and  affection  which  they  merit,  and  their  en- 
forced obedience  would  be  no  better  than  that  of  slaves.  Let  children 
obey  their  parents  with  haste  and  with  perfect  docility,  even  antici- 
pating their  desires.  What  virtue  is  so  precious  for  children  as  that 
of  obedience !  For  them  it  contains  all  the  other  virtues.  Let  them 
imitate  the  admirable  examples  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  of  the  child 
Jesus,  who  was  also  subject  to  Joseph  and  Mary,  although  He  was 
their  Creator  and  their  God:  And  he  -was  subject  to  them  (Luke  11.  51). 

IV.  Children  must  support  their  parents.  If  charity  imposes  this 
duty  upon  all  men  towards  one  another,  much  more  is  it  binding  upon 


296 


THIRD   PART.      XXV.    INSTRUCTION 


children  in  regard  to  their  parents.  Children  must  assist  their  parents 
in  both  their  corporal  and  spiritual  needs.  If  parents  are  poor,  their 
children  are  bound  to  furnish  to  them  what  they  need  for  nourishment, 
clothing  and  lodging  according  to  their  means.  If  parents  fall  sick, 
their  children  must  attend  them,  or  see  that  they  are  attended  by  some- 
body else,  and  procure  for  them  the  necessary  remedies.  Any  other 
conduct  on  the  part  of  children  would  be  ingratitude,  inhumanity,  and 
barbarity.  A  child  who  has  not  lost  all  sentiments  of  religion  and  of 
nature  would  share  his  last  morsel  of  bread  with  his  parents.  But 
there  are  unnatural  children  who  forget  themselves  so  far  as  to  be- 
grudge an  old  father,  an  old  mother,  the  little  food  and  support  they 
give  them ;  who  quarrel  among  themselves  and  refuse  to  shelter  their 
aged  parents.  Poor  father,  poor  mother,  who  took  such  pains  in  rais- 
ing your  children,  would  you  have  expected  that  some  day  they 
would  treat  you  thus  ?  Parents  who  are  not  reduced  to  this  sad  condi- 
tion should  remember  the  advice  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  **  Do  not  give 
any  power  to  your  son  over  you,  do  not  give  to  another  the  goods 
which  you  possess,  for  fear  that  you  may  be  obliged  to  go  and  beg 
from  him.  It  is  better  that  your  children  come  and  beg  from  you  than 
to  be  obliged  to  wait  and  see  what  your  children  will  give  you.*^ 

The  assistance  due  to  parents  extends  also  to  their  spiritual  wants. 
Children  should  console  their  parents  in  their  affliction,  and  if  their 
parents  neglect  their  religious  duties,  pious  children  will  remonstrate 
with  them  firmly,  but  with  respect.  When  parents  are  dangerously 
ill,  the  children  must  see  that  the  priest  is  called  in  time,  and  procure 
them  all  the  helps  of  religion.  Woe  to  the  children  who  would  hinder 
them  from  making  restitution  in  those  last  moments  !  After  their 
death,  they  must  not  delay  the  execution  of  their  will  for  pious  works, 
such  as  alms  or  prayers ;  these  are  sacred  debts  which  cannot  be  neg- 
lected without  sin. 

Christian  children,  fulfill,  therefore,  well  the  duties  of  love,  respect, 
obedience,  and  support  towards  your  parents,  and  by  obtaining  the 
esteem  of  all  good  people  you  will  merit  God's  blessing  in  this  world 
and  in  the  other.     Amen. 


ON  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT  297 


XXVI.     INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Fourth  Commandment  {  Confd) 

I.  In  the  preceding  instructions  I  spoke  of  the  duties  which  parents 
have  to  fulfill  towards  their  children,  and  children  towards  their  par- 
ents, and  I  remarked  that  what  I  said  of  both  must  be  understood  also 
,  of  grandfathers  and  grandmothers,  and  of  their  grandchildren  ;  of  god- 
fathers and  godmothers,  and  of  their  godchildren  ;  of  uncles  and  aunts, 
and  of  their  nephews  and  nieces;  finally,  of  fathers-in-law  and 
mothers-in-law,  as  well  as  their  sons-in-law  and  daughters-in-law. 

Therefore,  my  brethren,  if  you  desire  that  religion  and  good  order 
should  reign  in  your  families,  all  those  who  are  in  an  inferior  condi- 
tion, such  as  sons-in-law,  nephews,  etc.,  must  have  for  those  who  are 
above  them  the  love,  respect,  and  obedience  which  they  owe  to  their 
father  and  their  mother,  just  as  the  grandparents,  fathers-in-law,  and 
mothers-in-law  must  take  care,  in  the  absence  of  the  father  and  the. 
mother,  of  all  those  who  are  below  them  in  all  things  relating  to  both 
body  and  soul. 

This  remark  is  particularly  for  sons-in-law  and  daughters-in-law,  for 
it  must  be  confessed  that  the  duties  which  the  Fourth  Commandment 
imposes  are  often  badly  practiced  by  them,  and  especially  by  the  young 
in  regard  to  the  old.  As  soon  as  a  young  man  and  a  young  woman  have 
entered  a  house  they  begin  to  command  as  masters,  and  to  take  no  ac- 
count of  the  advice  of  the  older  members.  All  the  attention  and  cares 
of  the  young  husband  are  for  his  wife,  and  of  the  young  woman  for 
her  husband.  The  old  father  and  mother  to  whom  they  owe  so  much 
are  contradicted,  neglected,  and  perhaps  even  badly  fed  and  badly 
clothed. 

Young  husbands  and  wives  should  respect  and  love  their  fathers- 
in-law  and  mothers-in-law  as  their  own  fathers  and  mothers.  Fathers- 
in-law  and  mothers-in-law  should  be  patient  and  full  of  kindness 
towards  those  whom  they  ought  to  regard  as  their  own  children. 
Moses  always  lived  in  the  most  perfect  accord  with  Jethro,  his  father- 
in-law,  and  even  watched  his  flocks,  through  pure  obedience.  Ruth 
wished  never  to  separate  herself  from  Noemi,  her  mother-in-law,  and 
went  to  glean  in  the  field,  in  order  to  nourish  her.  Oh !  what  bless- 
ings and  what  a  happiness  for  a  family,  if  these  holy  examples  were 
imitated ! 


298 


THIRD   PART.      XXVI.    INSTRUCTION 


II.  But  in  a  family  there  are  more  than  superiors  and  inferiors, 
there  are  also  equals,  there  are  brothers  and  sisters.  Among  the 
brothers  and  sisters  of  a  family  should  exist  relations  of  friendship,  of 
harmony,  of  regard,  and  of  good  example.  The  young  men  ought  to 
obey  the  more  aged,  and  the  more  aged  ought  to  give  example  to  the 
younger  ones.  Is  it  not  a  pitiful  thing  to  see  a  family  where  there  is 
nothing  but  disunion,  quarrels,  and  discords  among  brothers  and 
sisters?  On  the  other  hand,  what  is  more  beautiful,  more  amiable,  and 
more  edifying  than  those  families  where  brothers  and  sisters  are  all  of 
one  heart  and  one  soul ;  where,  among  the  members  of  the  same  body, 
there  is  never  either  trouble  or  discord ;  where  the  joys  as  well  as  the 
sorrows  of  one  are  common  to  the  others !  Behold^  how  good  and 
pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity/       (Ps.  xxx.  i.) 

Besides  the  mutual  duties  of  parents  and  children,  the  Fourth  Com- 
mandment requires  honor  to  be  paid  to  all  superiors,  such  as  the 
pastors  of  the  Church,  kings,  princes,  magistrates,  old  people,  and  our 
teachers. 

III.  The  pastors  of  the  Church  have  three  duties  tov/ards  their 
parishioners  :  they  must  instruct  them,  gi^'e  them  good  example,  and 
pray  for  them.  In  their  turn  the  faithful  must  love  their  pastors  as 
being  their  greatest  benefactors  ;  honor  them  on  Recount  of  their  sacred 
character  which  elevates  them  above  all  human  greatness ;  obey  them 
in  everything  that  regards  salvation.  Our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  has 
declared  in  the  most  formal  manner  that  the  one  who  hears  the  priest, 
hears  Him,  and  that  the  one  who  despises  the  priest,  despises  Him  : 
He  that  hear eth  you,  heareth  me  ;  and  he  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth 
me  (Luke  x.  16).  What  our  Lord  said  of  the  priests  in  general  is  so 
much  the  more  true  of  the  pastor,  who  is  charged  with  the  care  of  your 
souls. 

IV.  Kings,  princes,  and  magistrates  owe  to  their  people  a  wise 
and  paternal  administration;  they  must  hinder  public  disorders,  give 
equal  justice  to  all,  making  no  exception  of  person,  protecting  stran- 
gers as  well  as  relations  and  friends,  the  poor  as  well  as  the  rich.  They 
are  the  representatives  of  God  upon  earth  in  regard  to  all  that  belongs 
to  civil  authority,  and  they  must,  therefore,  give  an  example  of  sub- 
mission to  all  the  divine  laws,  remembering  that  the  people  have 
always  their  eyes  upon  them,  and  that  their  conduct  can  cause  the 
greatest  good  or  the  greatest  evil,  according  as  it  is  good  or  bad,  and 
that   the  words  of  Scripture  concerning  our  Lord  can  be  applied  to 


ON   THE    FOURTH   COMMANDMENT  290 

them  :  Behold  he  is  set  for  the  fall  and  for  the  resurrection  of  tnany  in 
Israel  (Luke  xx.  34). 

On  the  other  hand,  subjects  owe  their  rulers  submission  and  respect, 
proportionate  to  their  dignity.  St.  Paul  says  :  There  is  no  power  but 
from  God,  and  to  resist  authority  would  be  resisting  God  Him- 
self; therefore,  he  that  resisteth  power,  resisteth  the  ordinance  of 
God  (  Rom.  XIII.  1—2  ).  Besides,  how  could  society  subsist  without 
this  subordination,  this  humble  and  docile  submission  to  the  superiors 
whom  Providence  has  placed  over  us? 

V.  The  aged  must  be  honored.  Rise  up  before  the  hoary  head,  and 
honor  the  person  of  the  aged  man  (Lev.  xix.  32).  Consider  the  dread- 
ful chastisement  of  the  forty-two  children  of  the  city  of  Bethel,  who 
were  devoured  by  two  bears  for  having  insulted  the  prophet  Eliseus, 
and  calling  him  baldhead.  The  age,  the  experience,  the  wisdom  of 
old  people  naturally  imposes  upon  us  consideration  and  respect,  and  old 
age  has  been  honored  at  all  times  and  among  all  nations.  But  #f 
old  age  has  a  right  to  the  respect  of  youth,  youth  has  a  right  to 
expect  good  example  from  the  aged.  The  old  man  Eliezar  preferred 
all  kinds  of  torments,  and  death  itself,  rather  than  to  eat  forbidden 
meat  in  the  presence  of  young  people.  So,  also,  every  man  advanced 
in  age  should  say  :  *'  Rather  die  than  to  give  a  bad  example  to  the 
young.**  Let  old  people  respect  themselves,  and  they  will  be  respected  ; 
let  young  people  respect  the  aged,  and  they  themselves  will  be  re- 
spected when  they  are  old. 

VL  Let  us  speak  of  the  mutual  duties  of  teachers  and  pupils.  To 
educate  children  and  to  teach  them  the  first  elements  of  religion  and 
science,  is  one  of  the  noblest  and  most  sacred  functions,  but  at  the 
same  time  one  of  the  most  laborious  and  most  difficult.  How  much 
trouble  has  not  a  teacher  to  take  in  order  to  communicate  to  children 
and  youth,  often  so  lazy,  and  sometimes  so  dull,  the  instruction 
which  is  necessary  for  them,  to  form  them  into  piety,  to  correct  their 
failings,  to  inspire  them  with  good  principles,  to  make  them  adopt 
good  habits !  What  zeal,  what  devotedness,  what  a  patience  must  they 
not  have  to  bear  up  with  all  the  tediousness,  to  surmount  the  many 
obstacles  they  meet  w^ith  at  every  step,  to  suffer  so  many  contradic- 
tions !  Only  a  great  love  of  God  and  of  his  fellow-men  can  make  a 
good  teacher.  But  if  they  are  imbued  with  these  Christian  senti- 
ments, and  if  they  possess  the  qualities  necessary  for  their  state,  what 
good  do  they  not  do  in  parishes  which  are  so  fortunate  as  to  possess 


300 


THIRD   PART.      XXVI.   INSTRUCTION 


them!  It  is  a  second  priesthood,  it  is  a  new  apostolate  which  they 
exercise,  and  daily  experience  proves  that  a  youth  is  soon  changed, 
soon  renewed,  if  he  falls  into  such  excellent  hands. 

But  all  is  mutual  in  this  world,  and  so  if  the  teachers  have  such  im- 
portant duties  to  fulfill  towards  their  scholars,  and  if  they  assume  such 
a  great  responsibility,  the  scholars  on  their  part  must  respond  to  their 
teachers'  care  by  their  docility,  their  submission,  their  respect,  their 
application,  their  gratitude,  and  thus  lighten  the  heavy  burden  which 
their  teachers  have  to  carry ;  they  even  thus  place  them  in  a  condition 
better  to  fulfill  their  noble  mission. 

Parents,  on  their  part,  should  assist  the  teachers,  and  be  careful  not 
to  excuse  the  faults  of  their  children,  as  it  so  often  happens,  and  thus 
completely  paralyze  the  good  influence  of  the  teacher  and  destroy  all 
the  good  which  he  might  do  their  children. 

Let  school  children  remember  the  duties  which  religion  imposes 
upon  them  towards  those  good  Brothers,  those  good  Sisters,  those  other 
zealous  teachers,  to  whom  they  are  intrusted,  and  who  take  such  great 
care  of  them.  They  must  love  and  respect  them  in  all  things,  subject 
themselves  with  an  humble  docility  to  all  the  punishments  which  they 
may  give,  avoid  causing  them  the  least  pain,  and  show  themselves  by 
their  whole  conduct  thankful  for  the  cares  they  take  for  them.  Let  them 
not  imitate  the  example  of  those  inattentive  and  disobedient  children 
who  are  the  despair  of  teachers  and  a  scandal  to  the  whole  class. 

VII.  The  duties  of  masters  towards  their  servants  are  of  two  kinds, 
duties  that  regard  the  body,  and  duties  that  regard  the  soul.  The 
first  class  can  be  reduced  to  three,  which  are  :  to  treat  them  with  kind- 
ness, to  care  for  them  in  sickness  and  in  health,  and  to  be  exact  in 
paying  to  them  their  wages.  * 

I  St.  Masters  Must  Treat  Their  Servants  with  Kindness. — We  are 
no  longer  in  the  times  of  pagan  slavery.  Christianity  has  long  ago 
introduced  the  spirit  of  charity  and  fraternity.  Servants  are,  there- 
fore, your  brethren  and  sisters,  having  the  same  origin  as  you,  children 
of  God,  brethren  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  destined  like  you  to  the  celestial 
inheritance.  Therefore,  you  ought  to  treat  them  as  such  and  to  have 
for  them  all  the  care  which  you  would  desire  others  should  have  for 
you.     Therefore,  you  must  not  maltreat  them  or  use  them  roughly, 


*  This  instruction  might  be  divided  into  two  parts,  the  second  of  which  would  beg^n  with  the 
duties  of  masters  toward  their  servants. 


ON   THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT  ^Ol 

but  on  the  contrary  must  show  them  kindness,  affection,  and  try  to 
sweeten  their  laborious  life  and  make  them  love  their  dependence.  Re- 
ligion and  humanity  both  impose  this  as  a  duty  upon  you,  and  even  your 
own  interest  invites  you  to  act  thus,  for  the  more  kindly  you  treat 
them,  the  more  they  will  become  attached  to  you,  and  they  will  serve 
you  well  and  try  to  please  you  in  everything.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that 
servants  are  sometimes  so  rebellious  and  so  lazy  and  so  careless,  that  it 
is  necessary  to  treat  them  with  vigor  and  firmness ;  but,  even  in  this 
case,  be  always  humane  and  benevolent.  Arm  yourselves  often  with 
patience,  and  in  rebuking  and  admonishing  them  at  least  try  to  let 
them  finish  their  term,  before  dismissing  them. 

2d.  Masters  Must  Take  Care  of  Their  Servants  in  Sickness  and  in 
Health. —  If  servants  behave  well  and  do  their  work  well,  if  they  are 
not  overburdened,  and  if  they  receive  their  pay  and  proper  board  and 
lodging,  they  cannot  complain ;  but  if  they  fall  sick,  masters  must 
give  them  a  chance  to  rest,  must  furnish  them  better  food,  according 
as  their  state  of  health  requires ;  and  if  the  sickness  becomes  serious, 
the  physician  must  be  called  and  the  necessary  remedies  procured,  if 
their  own  poverty  is  such  that  they  cannot  pay  for  medical  attendance. 
If  you  should  be  charitable  towards  all  the  unfortunate,  with  much 
more  reason  must  you  be  so  towards  a  servant,  who  may,  perhaps, 
have  ruined  his  health  in  your  service.  The  centurion  of  the  Gospel, 
on  seeing  his  servant  ill,  asked  our  Lord  to  heal  him,  and  Jesus  readily 
worked  a  miracle  to  reward  this  good  master.  God  is  often  pleased  to 
bless  good  masters  who  take  care  of  their  servants  and  treat  them  as  if 
they  were  their  own  children. 

3d.  Masters  Must  Pay  Their  Servants  Fully  and  Promptly.  Such 
masters  are  cruel  who  delay  in  paying  the  wages  of  their  servants;  who 
try  to  belittle  the  service  rendered  and  make  their  servants  accept  less 
than  they  contracted  for  ;  who  raise  objections  about  lost  time  and  poor 
service,  and  pretended  damages  which  their  servants  have  caused. 
Such  injustices  cry  to  heaven  for  vengeance  :  He  that  taketh  away  the 
bread  gotten  by  sweat  is  like  him  that  killeth  his  neighbor  (Eccl.  xxxiv. 
26). 

VIII.  Masters  also  owe  their  servants  duties  as  regard  the  soul. 
They  owe  instruction,  watchfulness,  correction,  and  good  example. 

I  St.  Masters  Must  Instruct  Their  Servants. — This  duty  is  all  the 
more  strict  because  servants  are  often  ignorant  of  the  first  elements  of 
religion.      A  very  praiseworthy  custom  that  exists  in  many  Christian 


302 


THIRD    PART.      XXVI.    INSTRUCTION 


families,  is  that  of  asking  one  another  the  Catechism.  The  older  ones 
ask  the  younger  ones,  the  younger  ones  in  their  turn  ask  the  older  ones, 
and  the  results  are  mutually  beneficial  and  show  a  desire  for  instruction 
which  is  very  agreeable  to  those  who  know  their  Catechism  and  very 
useful  to  those  who  do  not  know  it. 

2d.  Masters  Must  Watch  over  Their  Servants  and  Correct  Thetn. — 
A  good  master  is  not  content  with  instructing  his  domestics,  but  he 
also  watches  over  them,  rebukes  and  corrects  them,  when  necessary. 
He  takes  care  that  they  assist  at  Mass  on  Sunday,  that  they  say  their 
morning  and  evening  prayers,  that  they  go  to  confession  from  time  to 
time,  especially  on  the  principal  feasts  of  the  year,  at  Christmas  and 
Easter.  It  would  be  a  good  rule  not  to  keep  a  servant  who  does  not 
go  to  confession  at  least  during  Easter  time.  The  master  should  also 
w^atch  that  his  servants  do  not  hold  uncharitable,  or  indecent  conversa- 
tion, or  use  improper  language ;  he  should  be  careful  that  they  do  not 
roam  abroad,  stay  out  too  late  at  night  or  keep  bad  company.  This  duty 
is  common  to  all  masters,  but  much  more  imperious  for  those  who  have 
young  children,  as  nothing  is  more  dangerous  for  children  of  either 
sex  than  the  society  of  a  bad  servant.  He  is  like  a  wolf  in  a  sheep- 
fold,  or  like  an  itch-stricken  sheep  among  a  flock.  There  is  no  plague 
more  dreadful  for  the  innocence  of  children. 

3d.  Masters  Must  Give  Their  Servants  Good  Example. — This 
duty  is  most  important.  Servants  readily  imitate  their  masters,  as  the 
children  imitate  their  parents.  How  can  a  master  fitly  rebuke  a  serv- 
ant for  a  fault  which  he  commits  himself?  Or,  how  can  he  require 
his  servant  to  fulfill  a  duty  which  he  himself  does  not  fulfill  ?  Could 
not  the  servant  say  to  his  master:  ^'Physician,  heal  thyself *\? 

These  are  the  three  duties  of  masters  to  their  servants,  but  how  often 
are  they  not  forgotten  !  Many  masters  are  satisfied  if  their  servants  are 
industrious  and  faithful.  But  whether  the  servant  leads  a  bad  life  or 
w^hether  he  neglects  his  religious  duties,  he  does  not  mind.  St.  Paul 
says:  If  any  man  has  not  care  of  his  own,  and  especially  of  those  of  his 
house,  he  denieth  the  faith,  and  is  worse  than  a?t  infdel  (I  Tim. 
V.  8).  Need  we,  then,  be  astonished  that  there  are  so  few  good  serv- 
ants? **As  the  master,  so  the  servant.**  Servants  are  generally  what 
their  masters  make  them,  just  as  children  are  what  their  parents  make 
them. 

Oh  !  masters,  what  an  account  shall  you  have  to  render  one  day  to 
the  Sovereign  Judge,  especially  if,  far  from  giving  your  servants  good 


ON  THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT 


303 


example,  you  scandalize  them;  if,  far  from  correcting  and  rebuking 
them,  you  are  the  first  to  lead  them  into  evil  by  wicked  counsels,  to 
abuse  the  authority  which  you  have  over  them,  in  order  to  render  them 
accomplices  or  victims  of  your  infamous  passions  !  What  a  horrible 
crime  !  What  a  frightful  responsibility  !  Ah  !  if  there  are  any  among 
you  who  have  thus  far  forgotten  their  duties,  let  them  tremble,  for  the 
judgment  which  they  will  have  to  undergo  will  be  dreadful. 

Masters  understand  well  your  duties  to  your  servants,  love  them  as 
brethren  and  even  as  children,  pray  to  God  to  enlighten  you  on  your 
obligations  and  especially  to  give  you  the  courage  to  fulfill  them  with 
a  perfect  fidelity.  Ask  pardon  of  Him  for  your  neglect,  and  promise 
to  do  better  in  the  future.     Amen. 


XXVII.     INSTRUCTION 
On  thk  Fourth  Commandment   (  Concluded) 


DUTIES    OF    SERVANTS 

In  the  last  instruction  I  spoke  to  you  of  the  duties  of  masters 
towards  their  servants,  and  I  showed  how  numerous  and  important 
these  duties  are.  To-day  I  shall  explain  to  you  the  duties  of  servants 
toward  their  masters. 

The  duties  of  servants  to  their  masters  may  be  reduced  to  four :  re- 
spect, obedience,  service,  and  fidelity. 

I.  Servants  Oive  Their  Masters  Respect.  Masters  hold  the  place  of 
God  in  regard  to  their  servants,  just  as  parents  in  regard  to  their  chil- 
dren. St.  Paul  admonishes  servants  to  regard  their  masters,  not  as 
mere  creatures,  but  as  representatives  of  God  upon  earth :  Do  not  serve 
the  eye,  as  pleasing  men,  but  in  simplicity  of  heart,  fearing  God 
(Col.  III.  23).  The  respect  which  they  owe  to  God  is,  therefore,  that 
which  they  owe  to  their  masters,  that  is,  a  sincere  and  profound  re- 
spect, a  respect  which  excludes  every  abusive  word,  and  even  every 
thought  of  contempt  or  mockery.     Whosoever  are  servants  under  the 


304 


THIRD  PART.      XXVII.   INSTRUCTION 


yoke,,  let  them  count  their  masters  worthy  of  all  honor  (I.  Tim.  vi.  i). 
Consequently,  a  servant  renders  himself  more  or  less  guilty  every  time 
when  he  fails  in  this  respect  in  his  conduct  or  in  his  language.  Thus, 
he  sins  every  time  he  answers  his  master  with  impudence,  whenever  he 
uses  injurious  words  against  him,  or  curses  him.  A  servant  sins  against 
his  master  whenever  he  behaves  haughtily  or  independently  toward 
him,  whenever  he  treats  him  as  an  equal  or  as  an  inferior,  when- 
ever he  mocks  at  his  defects  or  turns  him  into  ridicule.  He  sins  when 
he  will  not  take  correction,  when  he  justifies  himself  by  insults,  when 
he  shows  indifference  or  coldness  towards  his  master,  instead  of  that 
attention  and  constant  willingness  which  render  service  so  agreeable, 
and  without  which  it  becomes  sad  and  painful. 

But  a  domestic  may  say  :  "  But  my  master  is  not  polite,  he  is  so 
severe,  so  little  respectable  in  character.*'  This  does  not  excuse  a  serv- 
ant. The  defects  and  vices  of  a  master  have  nothing  to  do  with  his 
quality  of  master.  Certainly  a  servant  may  detest  the  crimes  which 
dishonor  his  master  and  the  habits  which  render  him  vile.  But  he  is, 
nevertheless,  obliged  to  respect  him.  Let  the  servant  of  a  sinful  and 
vicious  master  pity  his  sad  state  and  pray  for  his  conversion,  and  let 
him  be  careful  not  to  give  his  master  an  occasion  of  offending  God. 
The  more  wicked  and  the  more  severe  the  master  is,  the  more  kind  and 
respectful,  honest  and  obliging,  the  servant  should  be. 

II.  Servants  Owe  Their  Masters  Obedience.  St.  Paul  says:  Serv- 
ants^ obey  in  all  things  your  masters  according  to  the  Jlesh  (Col.  in. 
22);  When  a  servant  engages  with  a  master,  he  promises  to  obey  in 
all  things  just  and  reasonable.  Without  submission  and  obedience  the 
very  end  of  service  would  be  defeated,  and  a  servant  would  have  no 
right  to  his  wages.  The  obedience  of  servants  to  masters  must  be 
prompt,  willing,  entire,  and  constant. 

ist.  Obedience  must  h&  prompt.  **  The  faithful  servant,"  says  St. 
Bernard,  ^*  avoids  all  delay.  His  hands  are  always  ready  to  take  up 
any  work,  his  feet  are  always  ready  to  move.*'  A  servant  on  receiving 
an  order  must  not  reason,  must  not  deliberate  whether  he  will  obey  or 
not.     As  soon  as  the  command  is  given  he  should  fulfill  it. 

2d.  Obedience  must  be  willing.  A  good  servant  will  not  grum- 
ble at  orders  given,  he  will  not  contest  them  or  show  any  bad  humor 
in  fulfilling  them.  He  feels  and  knows  that  by  obeying  his  master,  he 
obeys  God  himself,  and  thus  by  doing  willingly  and  joyfully  all  that 
is  commanded  he  pleases  men  and  gains  merit  for  heaven. 


ON   THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT 


305 


3d.  Obedience  must  be  entire.  A  good  servant  does  not  obey  9nly 
in  pleasant  and  easy  things,  but  also  in  what  is  difficult,  painful,  and  re- 
pulsive. As  long  as  a  master's  commands  are  just  and  reasonable  they 
must  be  obeyed,  but  if  a  master  should  overtax  the  strength  of  his 
servant  the  servant  would  be  justified  in  refusing  to  obey,  and  if  the 
master  should  forget  himself  so  far  as  to  command  something  sinful, 
the  servant  would  be  obliged  to  refuse  obedience,  else  he  would  become 
an  accomplice  in  his  master's  sin. 

4th.  Obedience  must  be  constant.  A  servant  must  be  ready  to  obey 
at  any  time. 

Servants,  is  it  thus  that  you  obey  your  masters  ?  Do  you  always  obey 
with  docility,  with  pleasure  and  punctuality?  Ah!  how  few  domes- 
tics are  there  that  are  guiltless  in  this  respect !  How  many  are  there 
who  obey  only  through  force  and  with  grumbling,  who  perform  their 
work  only  by  halves,  and  who  answer  their  masters  with  insolent  and 
injurious  words.  The  condition  of  servants  is,  indeed,  one  of  humility 
and  submission,  and  often  of  suffering,  but  God  has  called' them  to  that 
state,  and  their  hope  of  salvation  lies  in  the  perfect  fulfillment  of  their 
duties.  Masters  have  their  troubles,  also,  and  it  is  safer  and  easier  to 
obey  than  to  command. 

III.  Servants  Owe  Their  Masters  Service. —  Servants  must  do  all 
the  work  imposed  upon  them,  and  must  do  it  carefully  and  zealously. 
A  negligent  servant  avoids  work  as  much  as  possible,  and  does  it  only 
with  dissatisfaction  and  disgust.  He  looks  only  to  his  wages,  and 
takes  no  interest  in  the  property  or  welfare  of  his  master.  St.  Paul 
says:  Servants  do  not  serve  your  masters  to  the  eye.,  as  it  were  pleasing 
men;  but  as  the  servants  of  Christ.,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the 
heart  (Eph.  vi.  5—6).  A  good  servant  works  in  the  absence  of  his 
master  just  as  well  as  if  his  master  were  present;  he  takes  as  much 
care  of  his  master's  property  as  he  does  of  his  own  ;  he  sees  God  in  the 
person  of  his  master,  and  obeys  the  commands  of  his  master  as  being 
the  commands  of  God  Himself. 

Such  is  the  service  which  good  servants  render  their  masters ;  a 
good,  loyal,  honest,  affectionate,  and  conscientious  service,  made  with 
a  view  to  please  God,  the  first  and  best  of  all  masters.  Good  servants 
soon  win  the  respect  and  affection  of  their  masters,  they  are  looked 
upon  as  members  of  the  family,  and  their  work,  which  bad  and  un- 
faithful servants  look  upon  as  insupportable  slavery,  becomes  in  reality 
a  labor  of  love. 


3o6 


THIRD   PART.       XXVII.    INSTRUCTION 


IV.  Servants  Owe  Their  Masters''  Fidelity.  This  is  the  most  im- 
portant and  the  most  essential  of  all  the  duties  of  servants,  and  it  is  the 
first  thing  that  a  master  demands  of  them.  A  faithful  servant  w^ill 
not  steal  from  his  master,  he  will  not  waste  or  damage  the  property 
under  his  care,  he  will  prevent  others  from  damaging  the  property, 
and  he  will  keep  the  family  secrets. 

1st.  Servants  must  not  steal  from  their  masters.  If  stealing  is 
always  an  injustice,  it  is  surely  much  more  so  in  a  servant  to  whom  a 
master  intrusts  his  goods.  It  is  an  abuse  of  confidence.  A  servant 
who  has  any  of  his  master's  goods  in  charge  is  merely  the  custodian 
and  has  no  right  of  property  in  them,  and  if  he  appropriates  them  to 
his  own  use,  he  must  make  restitution.  To  say  that  the  objects  stolen 
are  of  little  value  is  no  excuse,  for  by  repeated  thefts  these  small  things 
amount  to  much.  Neither  is  a  servant  excused  for  appropriating 
things  by  saying  that  his  wages  are  not  sufficient,  for  he  gets  what 
he  contracted  for,  and  no  one  has  a  right  to  pay  himself  out  of  his 
employer's  property. 

A  servant's  time  is  not  his  own,  it  is  his  master's,  and  he  is  bound 
to  devote  all  this  time  to  the  service  of  his  master.  A  servant, 
therefore,  commits  an  injustice  if  he  loses  his  time,  if  he  causes  others 
to  do  the  work  for  which  he  is  paid  and  pays  for  it  at  the  expense  of 
his  master,  or  if  he  leaves  the  service  of  his  master  without  any  lawful 
reason  before  the  expiration  of  the  time  contracted  for. 

2d.  Servants  must  not  ivaste  the  property  of  their  masters.  They 
should  take  the  same  care  of  the  property  intrusted  to  them  as  they 
would  take  of  their  own  and  should  prevent  all  useless  expenses. 

3d.  Servants  must  prevent  others  from  damaging  the  property  of 
their  masters.  They  must  never  become  the  accomplices  of  others  in 
defrauding  their  masters. 

4th.  Servants  must  keep  the  family  secrets.  A  servant  must  have 
neither  eyes  nor  ears,  to  see  or  to  hear  what  is  said  or  done  in  the 
house  of  his  master.  If  quarrels  break  out  between  the  husband  and 
wife,  if  a  child  commits  a  grievous  fault  and  gives  itself  up  to  disorders, 
when  there  is  a  secret  illness,  if  things  go  w^rong  in  the  family,  servants 
must  not  tell  what  they  know  or  see  to  outsiders.  Any  indiscretion  on 
their  part  may  have  serious  consequences.  Often  only  one  word  is  needed 
to  destroy  the  reputation  of  a  family,  to  destroy  the  prospects  of  a 
son  or  daughter,  or  to  bring  about  the  failure  of  some  important  enter- 
prise. 


ON   THE  FIFTH   COMMANDMENT 


307 


5th.  Servants  who  fulfill  all  their  duties  faithfully,  who  serve  God 
in  serving  their  masters,  will  find  peace  and  happiness  in  their  humble 
condition,  will  receive  the  esteem  and  respect  of  all  good  people  and 
merit  an  eternal  reward  in  heaven.  It  was  by  serving  his  master 
faithfully  that  Eliezer,  the  servant  of  Abraham,  immortalized  his 
name,  and  many  humble  and  zealous  servants,  of  both  sexes,  have  been 
inscribed  by  the  Church  in  the  catalogue  of  the  saints. 

I  have  explained  the  duties  of  masters  to  their  servants,  of  parents 
and  children  to  one  another ;  I  have  mentioned  the  relations  which 
ought  to  exist  between  brothers  and  sisters ;  I  have  spoken  of  the 
duties  school  children  owe  to  their  teachers,  and  the  duties  of  teachers 
towards  their  pupils;  I  have  spoken  of  the  respect  due  to  old  age  and 
to  the  authorities  that  govern  us;  and  of  the  duties  of  a  pastor  to  his 
flock  and  of  a  congregation  to  its  pastor.  Redouble  your  zeal,  my 
brethren,  in  the  fulfillment  of  your  respective  duties,  mindful  of  the 
promise  of  the  Lord  to  pour  down  His  temporal  and  eternal  blessings 
on  all  those  who  faithfully  observe  the  Fourth  Commandment.     Amen . 


XXVIII.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Fifth  Commandment 

Thou  Shalt  Not  Kill 

The  Fifth  Commandment  is  Thou  shalt  not  kill.  It  forbids  us  to 
take  away  the  life  of  our  neighbor.  But  as  there  are  two  kinds  of  life 
in  us,  the  life  of  the  body  and  that  of  the  soul,  it  follows  that  there 
are  two  kinds  of  homicide,  corporal  homicide,  which  is  homicide  prop- 
erly speaking,  and  spiritual  homicide,  which  is  nothing  else  but 
scandal.     I  shall  limit  myself  to-day  to  speak  of  the  first. 

I.  All  homicide  is  not  forbidden.  Thus,  the  executioner  of  human 
justice  may,  undoubtedly,  take  away  the  life  of  his  fellow-man,  be- 
cause God  who  has  the  right  of  life  and  death  over  all  His  creatures, 
has  communicated  this  power  to  the  temporal  authorities  to  maintain 
the  good  order  in  society  :  Wizards,  thou  shalt  not  suffer  to  live  (Ex. 
XXII.  18).  Life  may  be  taken  in  just  wars,  but  only  on  battlefields.  So, 
also,  in  case  an  assassin  were  to  attack  us  to  take  our  life  and  we  had 


3o8 


THIRD   PART.      XXVIII.    INSTRUCTION 


no  other  means  of  defense  but  to  take  his,  we  would  be  justified  in 
committing  homicide.  But  if  there  were  other  means  to  save  our- 
selves, such  as  flight,  it  would  not  be  permitted  to  kill. 

Excepting  these  cases,  homicide  is  absolutely  forbidden  by  both 
divine  and  human  laws.  It  is  useless  to  dwell  on  the  enormity  of  this 
crime.  There  exists  in  the  heart  of  all  worthy  men,  such  a  sentiment 
of  horror  and  execration  for  murder,  that  they  shudder  at  the  sight  of 
a  murderer  and  they  look  upon  him  as  a  monster  unworthy  to  live.  It 
is  thus  that  the  name  of  Cain,  the  first  murderer,  has  always  been 
cursed  and  abhorred. 

Unfortunately,  we  live  in  a  country  where  murder  is  a  frequent 
occurrence.  The  newspapers  are  full  of  details  of  murders  committed 
in  all  parts  of  the  country.     This  is  certainly  a  deplorable  state. 

But  there  is  another  kind  of  homicide,  namely  that  committed  by 
unfortunate  women  who  knowingly  and  through  malice,  in  order 
to  hide  their  sin  and  shame,  kill  the  infant  which  is  still  in  the  womb, 
or  immediately  after  giving  birth  to  it.  This  is  a  fearful  depravity, 
and  not  even  the  most  ferocious  animals  are  guilty  of  such  an  act. 
What  a  fearful  crime  is  that  of  a  mother  —  if  we  can  call  her  by  such 
a  tender  name  —  who  takes  the  life  of  her  child  and  often  deprives  the 
soul  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven !  And  what  must  we  say  of  those  mis- 
erable fathers  who,  designedly,  through  avarice,  or  a  mistrust  in  God's 
providence,  or  to  escape  the  burden  of  raising  children,  drain  their 
fruitfulness  even  in  the  very  principle  of  life,  and  thus,  to  the  shame 
of  religion  and  the  detriment  of  society,  defeat  the  very  end  and  pur- 
pose of  marriage ! 

The  duel  is  another  crime  against  the  Fifth  Commandment,  because 
it  gratifies  one's  hunger  and  desire  for  revenge,  and  endangers  the  lives 
of  both  combatants.  Dueling  is  a  savage  practice  unworthy  of  a 
Christian  age,  and  the  Church  shows  her  abhorrence  of  the  crime  by 
excommunicating  not  only  the  participants,  but  also  the  seconds  and 
all  the  spectators. 

The  Fifth  Commandment  forbids  also  suicide  or  self-murder.  Our 
life  is  not  ours ;  it  is  a  deposit  intrusted  to  us  by  God  and  we  must 
render  an  account  to  Him  of  what  He  has  given  us.  A  man  who  goes 
so  far  as  to  take  his  own  life  has  either  lost  his  faith  or  his  reason. 
No  Christian  in  full  possession  of  his  faculties,  and  who  believes  in  an 
avenging  God,  will  dare  to  take  his  own  life,  and  cast  himself  unpre- 
pared into  the  next  world. 


ON   THE   FIFTH   COMMANDMENT  ^oo 

It  is  not  lawful  to  take  one's  own  life,  neither  is  it  lawful  to  expose 
oneself  to  death,  nor  to  desire  death  in  order  to  escape  the  ills  and 
troubles  of  life.  A  Christian  should  know  how  to  resign  himself  to 
God's  will  in  all  things.  Job  is  an  admirable  example  of  patience  in 
suffering,  and  our  Lord  in  the  Garden  of  Olives  is  an  heroic  example  of 
submission  to  the  decrees  of  Providence.  In  all  trials  and  adversities, 
let  us  bow  to  the  will  of  God  and  say.  Thy  'will  be  done.  It  is  well 
worth  suffering  the  insignificant  trials  of  this  short  earthly  life  to  merit 
an  eternal  weight  of  glory.  Moreover,  many  of  our  troubles  arise  from 
our  own  passions,  and  if  we  would  cure  our  passions  we  would  spare 
ourselves  many  sufferings. 

It  is  lawful  to  desire  death  if  we  wish  to  be  freed  from  the  danger 
of  offending  God,  or  if  we  desire  sooner  to  enjoy  the  happiness  of 
heaven.  This  desire  for  death  is  even  praiseworthy,  because  it  springs 
from  the  love  of  God.  Such  was  the  desire  of  the  holy  King  David, 
when  he  cried  out:  Woe  to  me  that  my  sojourning  is  prolonged  I  (Ps. 
cxix.  5)  and  of  St.  Paul :  /  have  a  desire  to  be  dissolved  and  to  be 
"with  Christy  a  thing  by  far  the  better   (Phil.  i.  23). 

II.  The  Fifth  Commandment  forbids  not  only  the  taking  of  our 
own  or  of  another's  life,  but  also  all  ill-treatment,  quarreling,  and 
all  evil  thoughts  and  designs  against  our  own  or  our  neighbor's 
bodily  welfare.  This  is  the  explanation  which  Jesus  Christ  Himself 
gives  us.  Vou  have  heard^  He  says,  that  it  was  said  to  them  of  old: 
Thou  shall  not  kill.  But  I  say  to  you,  that  whosoever  is  angry  with 
his  brother  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  Judgment.  And  whosoever  shall 
say  to  his  brother,  Raca,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  council.  And  whoso- 
ever shall  say.  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell  f  re  (Matt.  v.  21). 

A  person  sins,  therefore,  against  the  Fifth  Commandment,  if  he 
insults  or  strikes  his  neighbor.  The  sin  varies  in  guilt  with  the  con- 
dition of  the  person  who  is  offended.  To  insult  or  to  strike  a  father,  a 
mother,  a  priest,  or  a  magistrate  would  be  a  much  more  grievous  sin 
than  if  it  were  done  to  an  equal  or  to  an  inferior.  If  by  such  insults 
or  injuries,  the  reputation  of  another  has  been  injured,  the  guilty  party 
is  bound  to  make  reparation.  In  confession  it  is  not  enough  to  accuse 
oneself  of  the  harm  which  we  actually  did,  but  also  of  what  we  in- 
tended to  do,  but  could  not  or  did  not  do. 

How  many  sins,  therefore,  do  not  they  commit  who  are  always  dis- 
puting and  quarreling,  who  do  not  respect  the  feelings  of  their  neigh- 
bor, who  stop  at  no  outrage  or  infamy  in  their  treatment  of  others. 


3IO 


THIRD  PART.      XXVIII.   INSTRUCTION 


How  guilty  are  not  those  who  strike  their  neighbor,  and  who  are  even 
so  brutal  as  to  Sihed  the  blood  of  others!  Such  bloody  quarrels  are 
alike  opposed  to  reason  and  to  Christian  sentiments  and  are  unworthy 
even  of  savages.  "But  if  lam  attacked,  I  must  defend  myself.'* 
Yet  are  not  polite  words  and  good  arguments  better  defenses  than 
blows?  Withdraw  from  any  company  where  a  quarrel  is  beginning, 
and  if  you  are  unavoidably  drawn  into  a  quarrel,  control  yourself,  and 
if  it  cannot  be  helped,  rather  appeal  to  the  law  than  return  blow  for  blow. 

**  But,'*  says  another,  "  here  is  one  who  is  always  talking  against  me 
and  doing  me  all  the  harm  he  can,  and  he  needs  a  good  sound  lesson.** 
No,  you  have  no  right  to  correct  your  neighbor  by  quarreling  and  by 
blows.  Admonish  him  kindly  or  appeal  to  those  who  are  able  to  pre- 
vent his  mischief,  but  keep  the  peace  at  all  events.  Do  not  imagine 
that  you  will  attain  peace  by  disturbing  the  peace  of  others.  Peace 
is  a  good  which  will  outweigh  any  advantage  secured  by  quarreling 
and  disunion.  It  will  rnore  than  compensate  for  all  the  sufferings  that 
others  may  cause  you.  Besides,  it  is  well  to  examine  w^hether  we  our- 
selves are  not  often  the  cause  of  our  own  troubles,  whether  by  our 
own  provocation  we  have  not  brought  down  upon  ourselves  the  hatred 
and  attacks  of  others. 

III.  The  Fifth  Commandment  also  forbids  hatred,  envy,  and  desire 
of  revenge.  Revenge  belongs  to  God  alone,  who  will  render  to  every- 
one according  to  his  works.  Revenge  to  me,  I  will  repay,  said  the 
Lord  (Rom.  xii.  19).  Far  from  being  permitted  to  revenge  ourselves, 
we  are,  on  the  contrary,  expressly  commanded  to  pardon,  according  to 
the  example  of  our  Father  -who  is  in  heaven,  who  maketh  His  sun  to 
rise  upon  the  good  and  bad,  and  raineth  upon  the  just  and  unjust 
(Matt.  V.  45).  This  obligation  of  pardoning  is  so  strict  that  our  Lord 
teaches  us  that  the  judgment  which  we  shall  have  to  undergo  some 
day  will  depend  greatly  upon  our  behavior  in  this  regard.  A  judg- 
ment without  mercy  will  be  rendered  against  whomsoever  will  not  have 
shown  mercy.  Again  our  Lord  says  :  Leave  thy  offering  before  the 
altar.,  and  go  jirst  to  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  coming  thou 
shall  offer  thy  gift  (Matt.  v.  24). 

It  is  not  enough  to  pardon  one's  enemy,  and  to  be  reconciled  with 
him,  but  we  must  also  love  him  even  though  he  does  not  love  us,  and 
must  wish  him  as  much  good  as  he  desires  us  evil.  Indeed,  says  our 
Saviour,  if  you  love  them  that  love  you,  what  reward  shall  you  have  ? 
Do  not  even    the  puhlicans  this?     And  if  you  salute  your  brethren- 


ON  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT  ^ll 

only^  what  do  you  more?  Do  not  also  the  heathens  this?  Therefore, 
He  adds  :  Love  your  enemies,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you  (  Matt.  v. 
46).  How  can  we  call  ourselves  the  followers  of  a  God,  who  pardoned 
His  very  executioners,  if  we  do  not  wish  to  pardon  others?  And 
how  could  we  recite  the  Lord's  Prayer  without  condemning  ourselves, 
since  we  pray  God  to  treat  us  as  we  treat  others?  If  our  neighbor  has 
done  us  wrong  we  must  pardon  him  and  not  only  once,  but  till  seventy 
times  seven  times  (Matt,  xviii.  22),  according  to  the  words  of  our 
Saviour ;  and  ij"  one  strike  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  also  the 
other,  and  if  a  man  take  away  thy  coat,  let  go  thy  cloak  also  unto  him 
(Matt.  XVIII.  39-40). 

Envy  is  also  forbidden  by  the  Fifth  Commandment.  The  envious 
person  is  afflicted  at  the  happiness  of  others,  and  rejoices  at  their  mis- 
fortunes. Envy  is  the  crime  of  the  demon,  and  will  draw  down  the 
same  punishment  as  overtook  Satan  and  his  followers.  Try  always  to 
preserve  charity  in  your  heart  and  never  harbor  against  your  neighbor 
any  sentiments  of  hatred.  Reconcile  yourself  with  your  brother  when 
there  has  been  some  disagreement,  and  especially  when  the  wrong  is 
on  your  side. 

The  teaching  of  the  Fifth  Commandment  is  peace  with  our  neigh- 
bor. Peace  is  the  characteristic  of  true  Christianity.  Is  there  any- 
thing in  this  world  more  sweet  and  precious  than  peace  ?  Is  there  an 
evil  more  fatal  than  war  and  discord? 

A  very  common  cause  of  quarrels  and  discords  are  lawsuits.  Oh ! 
the  deplorable  mania  for  lawsuits,  from  which  result  so  many  disputes 
and  hatreds,  and  the  ruin  of  so  many  families !  Lawsuits  are  some- 
times necessary,  indeed,  but  how  often  are  they  only  the  effect  of  bad 
faith  and  caprice?  Can  you  not  find  wise  and  upright  men,  prudent 
arbitrators,  who  are  able  to  settle  your  difficulties,  and  save  you  from 
going  to  law,  losing  your  money,  your  time,  and  perhaps  imperiling 
your  soul.  Remember  the  saying  well  proved  by  experience  that 
**  a  bad  settlement  is  better  than  a  good  lawsuit  '* ;  and  the  other  words 
of  St.  Francis  of  Sales  :  ^*  In  a  thousand  pounds  of  law  there  is  not  an 
ounce  of  charity,*  and  the  words  of  St.  Paul:  The  servants  of  the 
Lord  must  not  wrangle  (II.  Tim.  11.  24).  Imitate  the  Christians  of  the 
first  centuries,  to  whom  lawsuits  and  contentions  were  unknown,  and 
who  had  but  one  heart  and  one  soul  (Acts  iv.  32).  Love  one  another, 
according  to  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  as  you  love  yourselves, 
doing  to  others  as  you  wish  that  others  should  dp  to  you.     Amen. 


312 


THIRD   PART.      XXIX.    INSTRUCTION 

XXIX.   INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Fifth  Commandment  (^Concluded) 


ON    SCANDAL 


I.  Scandal  is  a  word,  an  action,  or  omission  which,  being  evil  or 
appearing  to  be  evil,  moves  our  neighbor  to  offend  God,  or  at  least  is 
capable  of  doing  so. 

The  intention  to  give  bad  example  is  not  necessary  to  constitute 
scandal.  It  is  sufficient  that  the  thing  done  or  omitted  is  of  such  a 
1^  nature  as  to  mfslead  others,  whether  there  is  any  intention  to  mislead 
or  not.  Scandal  ma,y  be  given  even  by  words  or  actions,  which  in  them- 
selves are  not  bad,  but  which  may  be  misunderstood  or  misinterpreted 
by  weak  souls.  In  such  cases  we  should  refrain  from  the  very  appear- 
ance of  evil,  according  to  the  words  of  St.  Paul:  From  all  appearance 
of  evil  refrain  yourselves   (Thess.  v.  22). 

Moreover,  scandal  is  not  committed  only  when  a  person  is  actually 
scandalized,  but  it  is  sufficient  that  what  is  said  or  done  be  of  such 
a  nature  as  would  lead  him  to  evil.  If  a  person  is  strong  enough  to 
resist  the  bad  example,  so  much  the  better;  but  the  one  who  gives  the 
bad  example  is  still  guilty  of  scandal. 

II.  Scandal  may  be  given  by  words,  by  actions,  or  by  omissions, 
ist.   Scandal  in  words  consists  in  speaking  against  religion,  against 

its  ministers,  by  blaspheming,  cursing,  and  sinful  swearing,  and  by 
w^ords  against  modesty. 

2d.  Scandal  in  action  is  given  by  misbehavior  in  church,  by  work- 
ing on  Sunday,  by  disputes,  anger  and  quarrels  in  public,  by  violating 
the  laws  of  fasting  or  abstinence  in  the  presence  of  others,  by  indecent 
familiarities,  by  debauchery,  and  by  immodesty  in  dress. 

3d.  Scandal  by  omission  is  given  by  neglecting  to  hear  mass  on 
Sunday,  by  neglecting  annual  confession  or  Easter  communion,  by 
neglecting  the  education  of  one's  children,  by  not  correcting  their 
faults,  and  by  neglecting  to  watch  over  the  conduct  of  persons  in  one's 
household. 

In  short,  scandal  is  committed  whenever  the  commandments  of 
God  or  of  the  Church  are  publicly  transgressed  either  in  words,  actions, 
or  omissions.     There  is  no  sin  more  common  than  scandal,  but  it  is 


ON   THE   FIFTH   COMMANDMENT  ^I^ 

especially  a  sin  to  be  feared  in  the  case  of  fathers  and  mothers,  of 
superiors,  and  of  persons  who  occupy  any  high  rank  in  society,  and 
whose  influence  and  example  are  therefore  greater. 

III.  The  sin  of  scandal  varies  in  guilt  according  to  circumstances. 
It  may  often  be  only  a  venial  sin,  but  it  is  sometimes  mortal  of  its  very 
nature,  especially  in  the  case  of  those  who  willfully  and  maliciously 
attempt  to  lead  others  into  sin.  Such  persons,  for  example,  are  guilty 
of  mortal  sin  in  scandal  who,  by  wicked  counsel,  try  to  keep  others 
away  from  confession  and  communion,  who  cause  others  to  lose  the 
faith  by  carrying  on  impious  discourses  or  by  giving  them  bad  books, 
who  lead  young  persons  into  suspicious  places,  and  w^ho  corrupt  the 
morals  of  the  young  by  teaching  them  things  they  ought  not  to  know. 

The  scandal-giver  outrages  the  majesty  of  God.  He  seeks  to  rob  God 
of  the  souls  He  has  created  to  His  own  image  and  redeemed  by  His 
precious  blood.  God  in  His  mercy  has  occupied  Himself  since  all 
eternity  with  the  souls  of  men.  He  became  man  and  died  upon  the 
cross  to  redeem  mankind,  and  the  scandal-giver  robs  God  of  His 
chosen  souls,  of  His  precious  conquest,  and  drags  souls  into  hell.  St. 
Bernard  says  that  scandal-givers  are  worse  than  the  executioners  who 
crucified  Christ.  These  wicked  men  simply  fulfilled  the  design  of  God 
and  unwittingly  aided  in  the  salvation  of  souls  by  spilling  the  precious 
blood  of  the  Saviour,  but  scandal-givers  counteract  the  effects  of 
Christ's  death  and  seek  to  destroy  the  very  souls  that  Jesus  saved  at 
the  price  of  so  much  suffering.  The  scandal-giver  is  an  Antichrist : 
Even  now  there  are  become  many  antichrists  (I.  John  ii.  i8)  ;  he  is  a 
messenger  and  an  instrument  of  the  devil:  Tou  are  of  yotir  father 
the  devil  (John  viii.  44). 

Scandal  not  only  offends  God,  but  it  harms  those  to  whom  it  is 
given.  To  rob  some  one  of  his  worldly  goods  or  of  his  reputation  is, 
undoubtedly,  a  great  injustice  ;  to  take  his  life  is  a  barbarous  cruelty ; 
but  to  rob  him  of  the  life  of  the  soul  is  a  still  more  revolting  crime, 
because  the  life  of  the  soul,  the  life  of  grace,  is  infinitely  more  precious 
than  the  life  of  the  body  and  than  all  the  other  goods  of  this  world. 

Oh  !  the  deplorable  influence  of  scandal  !  Fatal  torrent  which 
hurries  along  so  many  souls  into  vice  and  into  eternal  perdition  !  The 
demon  is,  undoubtedly,  a  very  powerful  enemy  whom  we  have  to  fear. 
Our  passions  assail  us  day  by  day ;  but  the  world  with  its  scandals, 
with  its  wicked  maxims,  with  its  irreligion,  with  its  impiety,  its  im- 
morality, increases  the  power  of  the  devil  and  of  our  passions,  and  acts 


314 


THIRD   PART.      XXIX.    INSTRUCTION 


as  a  terrible  engine  for  the  destruction  of  souls.  Each  one's  own  ex- 
perience will  teach  him  the  power  of  scandal.  Let  each  one  examine 
what  has  been  the  cause  of  so  many  of  his  sins  and  he  will  surely 
have  to  answer  that  it  was  bad  company  and  the  bad  example  of 
others.  This  young  man,  formerly  so  pious,  so  fervent  in  the  practice 
of  his  religious  duties,  can  date  his  fall  from  bad  company  or  bad 
books.  That  young  woman,  once  so  pious,  so  modest,  so  reserved,  is 
now  worldly  and  shameless,  because  she  was  imprudent  in  the  choice 
of  her  company,  or  because  she  has  fallen  victim  to  the  wiles  of  some 
scandal-giver. 

Scandal  is,  indeed,  the  principal  cause  of  the  ruin  of  souls.  The 
devil's  attacks  are  easily  recognized,  and  his  suggestions  are  generally 
as  revolting  as  he  himself  is.  We  recognize  the  movements  of  our 
passions,  and  can  be  on  our  guard  to  repress  them. 

But  scandal  is  insidious  and  attractive.  Bad  example  lures  us  to 
our  ruin,  sometimes  before  we  are  fully  aware  of  our  danger.  Scandal 
is  like  a  raging  fire  that  spreads  itself  on  all  sides,  and  whose  ravages 
increase  with  time.  The  evil  of  bad  example  keeps  always  spreading 
more  and  more.  It  multiplies  itself  and  increases  with  alarming 
rapidity.  A  scandal-giver  is  like  a  person  infected  with  some  con- 
tagious disease ;  he  infects  others  with  his  sin  and  causes  fearful  ruin. 
Ke  is  a  wolf  in  the  midst  of  a  flock.  Whole  communities  of  good  and 
pious  children  have  been  perverted  and  corrupted  by  the  bad  example 
of  one  or  two  wicked  boys.  Whole  societies  and  congregations  of 
fervent  Christians  have  been  ruined  by  the  presence  of  a  few  infected 
members.  Nothing  is  more  contagious  than  bad  example.  Hell  is 
filled  with  the  harvest  of  scandal. 

Remember  that  every  one  in  this  world  is  responsible  for  his  actions. 
A  scandal-giver  has  to  answer  before  the  judgment  seat  of  God  for  the 
souls  of  all  those  whom  he  has  ruined  by  his  bad  example.  What  a 
fearful  responsibility  !  And  how  difficult  it  is  to  repair  the  effects  of 
scandal ! 

When  the  Emperor  Titus  was  besieging  Jerusalem,  a  soldier  threw 
a  burning  torch  into  the  temple.  Soon  a  fire  broke  out  with  such 
fury  that  it  was  impossible  to  extinguish  it,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of 
the  Jews  and  Romans,  and  the  orders  of  Titus  himself  who  wished  to 
save  the  building.  The  temple,  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  universe, 
was,  in  a  short  time,  only  a  heap  of  ashes.  This  is  a  striking  example 
of  the  ravages  of  scandal.     At  first  it  is  only  a  look,  only  a  word,  a 


ON  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT 


315 


jest,  a  spark  thrown  into  the  soul,  but  a  fire  breaks  out,  spreads,  and 
soon  causes  a  great  conflagration.  The  souls  of  those  who  have  been 
damned  forever  by  the  bad  examples  of  others,  cry  out  for  vengeance 
on  the  heads  of  those  who  have  ruined  them.  They  say:  ^*  Thou  art 
just,  O  Lord,  and  we  do  not  complain  of  Thy  punishments.  But  wilt 
Thou  be  severe  only  toward  us,  and  wilt  Thou  not  give  us  for  com- 
panions of  our  punishments  the  authors  of  our  ruin  ?  Soul  for  soul, 
life  for  life,  blood  for  blood!  Thou  hast  promised  it,  O  Lord.  Keep 
Thy  word  with  the  wicked,  with  the  authors  of  our  misfortune ;  it  is 
the  only  consolation  left  to  us,  and  we  expect  it  from  Thy  justice." 

The  evil  caused  by  scandal  is  often  irreparable.  But  if  no  one  can 
hope  for  salvation  until  he  has  repaired  the  wrong  which  he  has  done 
to  his  fellow-men,  how  will  those  scandalous  sinners,  those  infamous 
seducers,  those  emissaries  of  the  devil,  expect  to  obtain  pardon  and 
mercy !  Scandal  is  a  two-edged  sword  which  destroys  both  the  one 
who  is  attacked  and  the  one  who  attacks.  Hence,  the  dreadful  anath- 
ema of  our  Lord:  U^'oe  to  the  world  because  of  scandals  (Matt. 
XVIII.  7)«  Woe  to  the  one  that  gives  scandal,  because  it  ivere  better 
for  him  that  a  millstone  should  be  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he 
should  he  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea  (Matt,  xviii.  6). 

But  it  does  not  follow  that  those  who  have  given  scandal  can  never 
hope  for  salvation.  The  treasures  of  God's  mercy  are  infinite.  Those 
who  have  given  scandal  can  repair  it  in  some  degree  by  giving  good 
example  and  by  trying  to  save  as  many  souls  to  Christ  as  possible  by 
means  of  good  counsel,  exhortations,  and  most  of  all  by  prayer. 

Let  us  carefully  avoid  giving  scandal,  my  brethren,  either  in  word 
or  deed.  We  shall  have  enough  to  answer  for  before  the  judgment 
seat  of  God  in  our  own  sins  and  failings  without  burdening  our  con- 
science with  the  sins  of  others.  Let  us  give  good  example  in  every 
word  and  deed  of  our  lives  and  we  shall  lead  many  souls  with  us  to  a 
happy  eternity.     Amen. 


3i6  THIRD  PART.      XXX.   INSTRUCTION 

XXX.    INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Sixth  Commandment 

Thou  Shalt  Not  Comtntt  Adultery 

The  Sixth  Commandment  forbids  impurity,  and  all  that  leads  to 
it.  In  the  explanation  of  the  seven  capital  sins,  I  spoke  of  the  enor- 
mity of  this  vice.  It  remains  for  me  to  speak  of  the  different  ways  in 
which  a  person  can  render  himself  guilty  of  this  sin,  the  causes  that 
may  give  rise  to  it,  and  the  remedies  to  employ  to  preserve  ourselves 
from  it. 

I.  The  sin  of  impurity  is  committed  in  five  ways  :  By  thoughts, 
desires,  looks,  w^ords,  and  actions. 

ist.  Impure  Actions. — You  cannot  expect  me,  my  brethren,  to 
enter  into  any  details.  The  respect  due  to  the  word  of  God  and  to  the 
chaste  ears  that  listen  to  me  forbids  this.  Moreover,  those  who  sin  by 
impurity  are  generally  sufficiently  instructed  in  this  matter.  It  is  very 
difficult  for  an  adult  to  fall  into  this  vice  without  knowing  that  he 
sins.  Even  children,  who  have  hardly  attained  the  use  of  reason,  hide 
themselves  when  they  desire  to  commit  immodesties.  It  suffices  to  say 
that  the  Sixth  Commandment  forbids  any  action,  either  alone  or  with 
others,  which  would  be  of  a  nature  to  make  you  ashamed  before  a 
father,  or  a  mother,  or  a  confessor.  In  confession  the  nature  and  cir- 
cumstances of  the  action  must  be  declared,  in  order  that  the  confessor 
may  be  enabled  to  appreciate  the  gravity;  and  if  the  action  has  been 
committed  with  others,  it  must  be  declared  whether  they  are  single  or 
married  persons,  or  persons  consecrated  to  God ;  whether  they  are 
relatives  or  not,  and,  also,  whether  they  are  of  the  same  sex  or  of  a  differ- 
ent sex,  for  all  these  circumstances  may  often  change  the  nature  of  the 
sin,  and  may  even  make  a  reserved  case. 

2d.  Impure  Words. —  Those  sin  by  impure  words  who  speak  un- 
chaste words,  or  who  listen  to  them,  or  who  sing,  read,  or  write 
impure  words.  This  sin  is  more  or  less  grievous  according  as  the 
language  is  more  or  less  obscene,  according  to  the  number  of  persons 
who  hear  us,  and  according  as  these  persons  may  be  more  or  less  easily 
moved  to  commit  evil.  Those  sin  against  impurity  who  carry  on  im- 
pure conversations,  who  sing  lascivious  songs  or  read  immoral  books 
or  papers,  or  who  write  obscene   letters.     Obscene  conversations  and 


ON  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT 


317 


obscene  books  are  most  powerful  means  of  spreading  corruption. 
They  teach  evil  to  those  who  know  it  not,  and  kindle  the  fire  of  im- 
pure passion  in  the  most  innocent  souls.  Of  all  kinds  of  scandal,  they 
are  the  most  pernicious  and  the  most  abominable.  A  single  impure 
word,  an  obscene  song,  may  work  untold  ravages  in  innocent  souls. 

And,  nevertheless,  what  is  more  common  than  immodest  conversa- 
tion? Go  into  any  gathering  of  young  people  and  you  may  hear 
words  that  shock  the  ears  of  the  pure.  Never  remain  in  such  danger- 
ous company,  but  leave  it  immediately  if  you  can  do  so ;  for  woe  to 
you  if  you  should  listen  with  pleasure ;  the  poison  will  soon  penetrate 
into  your  soul.  But  you,  impure  tongues,  agents  of  the  devil,  how 
dare  you  speak  such  shameful  words?  You  may  say  :  ^^  It  is  only  in 
fun."  But  can  you  joke  over  the  ruin  of  your  own  soul  and  the  souls 
of  your  neighbors  ?  It  is  a  sad  sort  of  fun  that  must  be  paid  for  by  an 
eternity  of  despair.  You  may  say:  "  But  even  if  our  words  are  inde- 
cent, our  intention  is  not  wicked.  Our  language  may  be  impure,  but 
bur  hearts  are  pure.'*  This  is  a  sad  illusion.  The  mouth  speaks  only 
from  the  abundance  of  your  heart.  If  you  love  to  speak  of  shameful 
things,  then  also  you  love  the  shameful  vice,  and  your  heart  is  far 
from  being  pure. 

3d.  Impure  Looks. — There  are  four  kinds  of  looks,  but  all  are  not 
sinful :  ist.  When  you  look  at  persons  of  the  other  sex  while  speaking 
to  them  or  accompanying  them.  These  looks  are  not  sinful  since  they 
are  modest  and  decent  and  occasion  no  bad  desires.  2d.  Your  looks 
may  at  times  fall  upon  indecent  objects,  through  inadvertence,  and  if 
you  turn  away  as  soon  as  you  perceive  them,  you  are  not  guilty, 
because  consent  is  necessary  before  sin  is  committed.  3d.  Looks  of 
curiosity  at  persons  of  the  other  sex  to  examine  their  beauty,  for  the 
mere  pleasure  of  the  beauty.  These  looks  are  not  generally  grievous 
sins,  says  St.  Chrysostom,  but  neither  are  they  innocent,  on  account 
of  the  danger  to  which  they  may  expose  one.  They  may  become  sin- 
ful if  indulged  in  too  long.  It  was  a  curious  and  an  indiscreet  look 
that  led  David  to  commit  adultery  and  homicide,  that  led  the  chief  of 
Sichem  to  outrage  Dina,  the  daughter  of  Jacob,  and  drew  down  such 
misfortunes  upon  this  city.  It  was  by  curious  looks  that  those  whom 
the  Scripture  calls  children  of  God,  fell  into  sin,  and  their  crimes 
brought  on  the  deluge.  St.  Augustine  tells  us  that  he  knew  persons 
of  such  eminent  sanctity,  that  he  would  have  been  less  surprised  to  see 
an  angel  fall  than  these  holy  persons.     And  still  they  fell  and  were; 


3i8 


THIRD  PART.      XXX.   INSTRUCTION 


lost  on  account  of  immodest  looks.  He  could  not  speak  of  their  fall 
without  shedding  tears.  4th.  Impure  looks  made  with  a  criminal 
intention  and  perverted  affection,  and  deliberate  gazing  at  indecent 
objects.  Such  looks  are  grievous  sins,  because  they  give  the  heart 
a  mortal  wound.  Holy  Scripture  gives  us  an  example  of  such  looks 
in  the  wretched  old  men  who  desired  to  attack  the  virtue  of  the  chaste 
Susanna.  The  eyes  are  as  the  windows  through  M^hich  the  devil 
enters  the  heart,  and  kindles  the  fire  of  concupiscence. 

If  we  desire  to  preserve  our  virtue,  let  us  watch  carefully  over  our 
eyes-;  let  us  imitate  the  example  of  the  holy  man  Job  who  had  made  a 
compact  with  his  eyes  that  they  should  not  look  upon  a  virgin. 

And  you,  Christian  women  and  girls,  be  careful  never  to  give  any 
occasion  of  temptation  or  sin  by  immodesty  or  indecency  in  dress.  A 
certain  holy  man  has  declared  that  those  who  dress  in  an  indecent 
manner  gain  more  souls  to  the  devil  than  persons  of  bad  life.  Mod- 
esty and  simplicity  are  your  most  beautiful  ornaments,  and  they  should 
be  a  reflection  of  the  virtue  which  reigns  in  your  heart. 

4th.  Impure  Desires. — An  impure  desire  is  voluntary  if  it  is  not 
accomplished  only  because  the  person  desiring  it  cannot  do  so.  It  is 
involuntary,  and  must  be  regarded  as  a  mere  temptation,  if  the  person 
has  been  able  to  commit  the  action  and  has  not  done  it.  Voluntary 
evil  desires  are  criminal  in  the  eyes  of  God,  even  though  they  are  not 
followed  by  any  evil  action.  God  has  formally  forbidden  them  in  the 
Ninth  Commandment,  which  says  :  Thou  shall  nol  covet  Ihy  neighbor'' s 
tvife.  In  the  eyes  of  Him  who  reads  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  an  im- 
pure desire  is  about  equal  to  an  impure  action,  and  assumes  its  whole 
malice.  You  abstain,  says  St.  Augustine,  from  an  impure  action  only 
because  you  are  afraid  to  be  seen.  You  have  sinned  just  as  if  you 
had  done  the  action.  Therefore,  in  confession,  not  only  bad  actions, 
words,  and  looks  must  be  confessed,  but  also  all  bad  desires,  with  their 
number  and  different  species. 

5th.  Impure  Thoughls. — In  this  matter  many  persons  have  a 
false  conscience.  Some  see  sins  where  there  are  none,  and  others  do  not 
see  sins  where  there  are  really  sins.  In  an  impure  thought  we  must 
distinguish  three  things  :  the  thought  or  the  representation  of  a  thing 
contrary  to  modesty,  the  pleasure,  and  the  consent  given  to  the  thought 
or  to  the  pleasure. 

The  thought,  however  bad  it  may  be  in  itself,  is  a  sin  only  when 
full  consent  of  the  will  is  given.     It  is  no  sin  to  be  assailed  by  bad 


ON  THE   SIXTH   COMMANDMENT 


319 


thoughts;  the  greatest  saints  had  them.  Neither  is  it  sinful  to  feel  a 
sensation  of  pleasure,  when  some  impure  thought  presents  itself  to  our 
imagination.  Concupiscence  is  an  effect  of  original  sin,  and  it  is  in 
us  in  spite  of  ourselves.  But  it  is  in  our  power  not  to  give  consent, 
either  to  the  thought,  or  to  the  sensation  of  pleasure ;  it  is  in  our 
power  to  reject  both  as  soon  as  we  perceive  them.  If  we  act  thus,  far 
from  committing  sin,  we  acquire  the  merit  of  resisting  temptation. 
But  to  allow  the  mind  to  dwell  upon  the  impure  imagination  is  sinful, 
even  though  no  action  results,  and  the  sin  is  mortal  if  the  consent  is  fully- 
voluntary.  Perverse  thoughts  separate  from  God,  says  the  Holy  Ghost 
(Wis.  I.  3)  ;  they  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord  (Prov.  xv.  26). 
To  think  of  the  evil  with  pleasure  is  a  proof  that  one  loves  it,  and  it 
opens  the  way  for  still  greater  sins.  A  bad  thought  is  like  a  spark 
fallen  into  the  mind,  and  there  is  great  danger  that  it  will  communicate 
itself  to  the  heart  and  result  in  mortal  sin.  Alas!  how  many  sins  are 
committed  within  one  year,  one  month,  one  day,  by  those  unfortunate 
persons  who  are  given  up  to  the  vice  of  impurity,  who  do  not  watch 
over  themselves,  and  who  take  no  means  to  avoid  the  occasions  of  sin! 

II.  These  are  the  different  sins  againt  the  Sixth  Commandment. 
It  is  very  easy  to  render  oneself  guilty  of  a  mortal  sin  in  the  matter 
of  the  Sixth  Commandment,  and  the  greatest  precaution  is  necessary. 
Everything  under  this  head  is  grievous  and  merits  eternal  damnation. 
How  many  souls  are  eternally  lost  on  account  of  this  unfortunate  vice  ! 
Let  us  examine  now  the  causes  that  can  give  rise  to  it,  and  the  means 
to  take  to  preserve  ourselves  against  it. 

The  ordinary  causes  of  impurity  are  five :  idleness,  dangerous 
reading,  excess  in  eating  and  drinking,  dancing,  and  too  great  familiar- 
ity with  persons  of  the  other  sex. 

ist.  Idleness .  ^—\d\e.n&%?,  is  a  school  of  vice  :  Idleness  hath  taught 
much  evil  (Eccl.  xxxiii.  29).  As  long  as  the  mind  is  occupied,  it 
hardly  thinks  of  anything  else  except  the  object  that  occupies  it.  But 
as  soon  as  the  mind  is  inactive,  it  is  filled  with  thousands  of  phan- 
toms and  shameful  thoughts.  Idleness  is  like  a  stagnant  water  which 
conceals  the  most  hideous  reptiles.  The  experience  of  every  day 
proves  this.  Hence,  if  you  wish  to  avoid  the  vice  of  impurity,  fly 
idleness.  Let  the  devil  find  you  always  occupied.  A  pious  author 
tells  us  of  a  religious  who  was  continually  assailed  by  temptations. 
His  superior  employed  all  kind  of  means  without  effect.  At  length 
he  loaded  the  tempted  man  with  work  of  all  kinds  and  charged  one  of 


320 


THIRD   PART.      XXX.    INSTRUCTION 


the  oldest  hermits  to  scold  him  often  about  the  manner  he  fulfilled  his 
task.  Some  time  afterwards  the  superior  asked  the  religious  whether 
he  was  still  so  much  tempted  :  *'Ah!  my  father,"  he  answered,  **  how 
could  I  have  time  for  temptation  since  you  do  not  even  give  me  time 
to  breathe  ?  *^ 

2d.  Dangerous  Reading.  —  Bad  books  and  papers  are  one  of  the 
greatest  evils  of  modern  times  and  one  of  the  most  powerful  causes  of 
demoralization.  They  are  printed  in  great  number,  extensively  ad- 
vertised, sold  at  very  low  prices,  and  they  pervade  every  part  of  our 
vast  country,  even  to  the  remotest  corners.  They  appear  under  many 
forms,  magazines,  journals,  reviews,  stories,  but  the  poison  lurks  in 
them  all.  It  takes  a  solid  virtue  to  resist  the  fatal  seduction  of  these 
bad  books,  filled  with  passionate  intrigues,  with  voluptuous  and  ob- 
scene tableaux,  with  worldly  maxims,  where  vice  does  not  show  itself 
in  its  hideous  nakedness,  but  conceals  itself  under  the  most  brilliant 
colors.  A  bad  book  is  a  certain  and  inevitable  cause  of  ruin.  To 
read  dangerous  books  under  the  plea  of  looking  for  instruction  or 
merely  of  passing  time  is  a  delusion  of  the  devil.  Rousseau,  an  infidel 
writer  of  the  last  century,  said  with  an  astonishing  sincerity,  in  the 
preface  of  one  of  his  books,  ^^The  New  Heloise,"  that  he  regarded  as 
lost  every  young  person  that  would  read  that  book.  Did  not  another 
writer  of  the  same  century  snatch  from  the  hands  of  his  daughter 
a  bad  book  which  he  himself  had  written  ? 

3d.  Excess  in  Eating  and  Drinking. —  In  speaking  of  the  vice  of 
intemperance  I  said  that  these  excesses  are  hurtful  to  the  angelic  virtue 
of  purity,  and  we  quoted  the  words  of  a  great  saint  who  declared  that 
he  could  not  believe  a  drunkard  to  be  chaste. 

4th.  Dances. — Although  dancing  is  not  bad  in  itself,  it  may  easily 
become  so  by  force  of  circumstances.  Dancing  generally  takes  place 
among  persons  of  different  sex ;  and  then  there  is  danger  of  indecent 
gestures,  of  impure  looks,  passionate  movements,  and  of  discourses 
which  breathe  impure  pleasure  and  licentiousness.  Moreover,  dancing 
is  generally  done  at  night,  and  we  can  easily  understand  how  it  may 
become  dangerous  and  hurtful  to  the  virtue  of  modesty  and  chastity. 
Dancing  generally  takes  place  in  localities  where  liquor  is  sold,  and 
this  contributes  still  more  to  inflame  the  passions.  The  music  and  song 
which  frequently  accompany  the  dance  are  often  voluptuous,  arousing 
the  passions  and  exciting  to  impurity.  It  is  not  astonishing  that  the 
Fathers  of  the  Church  condemn  dancing  with  such  vigor.     St.  John 


ON  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT  221 

Chrysostom  said  that  where  persons  of  both  sexes  are  dancing  the 
devil  is  in  the  midst  of  them.  St.  Ambrose  declares  dancing  to  be 
the  faithful  companion  of  voluptuousness  and  impurity.  It  is  use- 
less to  add  that  those  w^ho  cooperate  in  getting  up  dances  and  who 
lend  their  houses  for  that  purpose  are  as  guilty  as  the  dancers  them- 
selves. 

5th.  Undue  Familiarity  uoith  Persons  of  Different  Sex. —  In- 
clined toward  evil  as  we  all  are,  can  you  in  good  faith  persuade  your- 
selves that  these  familiarities,  these  private  conversations,  do  not 
arouse  your  passions  and  expose  your  soul  to  fall  into  sin.?  To  be 
often  face  to  face,  to  have  intimate  relations,  and  not  to  offend  God, 
would  be,  says  St.  Augustine,  a  greater  miracle  than  to  raise  a  dead 
man  to  life.  Ah!  how  many  persons  lose  their  innocence  because  of 
not  being  sufficiently  careful  in  this  respect !  Was  it  not  the  company 
of  women  that  caused  David  and  Solomon  to  fall?  You  may  say: 
"  Although  we  visit  one  another  from  time  to  time,  we  have  no  bad  in- 
tention.'* True  enough,  but  are  you  sure  that  bad  intentions  will  not 
come?  Do  you  not  know  that  what  begins  in  the  spirit  often  ends  in 
the  flesh,  and  that  he  who  loves  danger  will  perish  in  it?  "But,** 
you  say,  *^  it  is  a  young  man  who  intends  to  marry  me.''  Even  if  there 
is  question  of  marriage,  should  you  visit  each  other  for  years  and  years 
to  the  great  scandal  of  the  whole  neighborhood?  Should  these  meet- 
ings take  place  in  secret,  and  should  you  permit  those  liberties,  those 
familiarities,  which  as  a  rule  are  far  from  being  innocent?  Young  per- 
sons who  esteem  their  honor  and  virtue  above  all,  and  who  have  their 
salvation  at  heart,  should  mistrust  these  promises.  If  interviews  are 
necessary  and  proper,  let  them  always  take  place  in  the  presence  of 
your  parents  or  of  some  other  responsible  person. 

III.  It  remains  for  me  to  indicate  the  remedies  to  preserve  your- 
selves from  this  infamous  sin  and  vice.  The  first  of  all  x^Jlight  of  the 
occasions.  Without  this  precaution  all  the  others  would  be  useless. 
Bad  company  is  the  ruin  of  chastity.  "  Tell  me  the  company  you  keep, 
and  I  will  tell  you  what  you  are."  I  know  that  sometimes  it  is  very 
hard  to  break  off  with  certain  associations,  but  if  you  value  your  soul  you 
will  not  hesitate.  If  thy  right  eye  scandalizes  thee,  pluck  it  out  and 
cast  it  from  thee.  And  if  thy  right  hand  scandalizes  thee,  cut  it  off 
and  cast  it  from  thee  (Matt.  v.  29-30).  One  day,  a  woman  of  a  bad 
life  dared  to  tempt  the  virtue  of  St.  Thomas  of  Aquin,  who  was  then 
a  voung  man.     The  saint  seized  a  burning  brand  from  the  fireplace  and 


322 


THIRD   PART.      XXX.    INSTRUCTION 


chased  her  away  and  God  rewarded  his  courageous  fidelity  with  the 
greatest  graces. 

The  second  means  is  vxatch fulness.  Watch  over  your  eyes,  ears, 
tongue,  and  imagination.  These  are  the  means  by  which  the  devil 
enters  the  heart.  Dangers  are  everywhere,  and  the  world  is  filled 
with  perils  to  chastity.  Chastity  is  the  most'  precious  treasure  we  can 
possess,  and,  to  employ  the  expression  of  St.  Paul,  we  carry  it  in  very 
fragile  vessels. 

The  third  means  is  to  repel  temptations^  as  soon  as  they  arise.  De- 
lay in  driving  away  temptation  is  dangerous.  The  poison  must  be 
rejected  immediately,  otherwise  it  will  work  our  ruin.  Turn  away 
immediately  from  evil  thoughts,  raise  your  mind  to  God  and  sign  your- 
self with  the  sign  of  the  cross. 

The  fourth  means  is  corporal  mortijication.  Our  body  is  like  a 
fiery  horse  which  needs  to  be  checked  through  labor  and  fatigue, 
through  temperance  and  sobriety.  You  would  become  frightened 
were  I  to  tell  you  of  the  mortifications  the  saints  practiced  to  keep  their 
chastity.  St.  Benedict,  when  tempted  against  purity,  rolled  himself 
naked  among  nettles  and  thorns.  Another  saint  plunged  himself  into 
an  icy  pond  to  subdue  the  fire  of  concupiscence.  St.  Martinian,  when 
tempted,  put  his  feet  into  the  fire,  and  asked  himself  whether  he  could 
suffer  the  fire  of  hell.  St.  Thomas  of  Aquin  made  it  a  rule  never  to 
look  at  the  face  of  a  woman. 

The  fifth  means  is  the  thought  of  the  presence  of  God.  Like 
Joseph  and  Susanna,  we  should  say  :  **How  could  I  dare  to  commit 
such  a  crime  in  the  presence  of  Him  who  is  to  judge  me.?^*  The  re- 
membrance of  death  and  of  eternity  is  also  very  useful.  If  death 
should  surprise  me  in  this  state,  what  would  become  of  me.?  Should 
I  expose  myself  to  eternal  damnation  for  a  bad  thought,  for  a  moment's 
pleasure,  for  a  passing  gratification  ? 

The  sixth  means  is  the  frcquentation  of  the  sacraments.  It  is  im- 
possible for  a  person  inclined  to  this  shameful  vice  to  keep  himself 
from  evil  without  this  means.  Confession  and  communion  are  the 
great  sources  of  grace.  In  them,  ive  fnd  the  corn  of  the  elect.,  and  wine 
springing  forth  virgins  (Zach.  ix.  17).  But  this  must  not  be  under- 
stood of  only  an  annual  confession  and  an  Easter  communion,  as  those 
sometimes  think  who  most  of  all  need  to  have  recourse  to  these  sources 
of  life,  but  of  frequent  confession  and  communion.  This  help  is 
necessary,  especially  to  young  persons.     How  many  are  lost  forever. 


ON  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT  ^2^ 

because  they  do  not  have  recourse  to  confession  and  holy  com- 
munion ! 

The  seventh  and  last  means  is  a  tender  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin who  has  such  great  power  before  God's  throne,  and  such  bound- 
less goodness  for  her  children.  This  good  mother,  untainted  by  the 
least  breath  of  sin,  this  spotless  lily  and  cloudless  sun,  will  always  pro- 
tect in  a  special  manner  the  chaste  souls  that  implore  her  assistance, 
and  will  assist  those  who  have  had  the  misfortune  to  fall.  Invoke  her 
with  confidence,  and  whatever  may  be  your  temptations  she  will  not 
permit  you  to  be  lost. 

God  grant  that  my  words  are  not  useless,  but  that  they  may  touch 
your  souls  and  produce  the  fruit  I  expect !  Employ  the  means  I  have 
pointed  out  and  you  will  preserve  your  purity  and  merit  the  reward 
promised  to  the  clean  of  heart.     Amen. 


XXXI.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Seventh  Commandment. 

Thou  Shalt  Not  Steal 

The  Seventh  Commandment  forbids  us  to  take  or  to  keep  the  goods 
of  another  unjustly,  or  to  cause  damage  to  him  ;  it  commands  us  to 
restore  what  has  been  unjustly  taken,  and  to  repair  the  damage  w^e 
have  caused.  The  Seventh  Commandment  is  transgressed:  ist.  By 
taking  unjustly  what  belongs  to  another;  2d.  By  not  restoring  things 
that  have  been  borrowed,  or  by  not  seeking  the  owner  of  things  that 
have  been  found ;  3d.  By  not  repairing  the  damage  one  has  caused 
to  others. 

Injustice  is  not  committed  only  by  men  little  favored  with  fortune, 
but  we  find  it  among  the  rich  as  well  as  among  the  poor,  among  mas- 
ters as  well  as  among  servants  and  laborers;  and  one  can  apply  to  all 
the  classes  of  society  the  words  of  reproach  which  the  prophet  Isaias 
addressed  to  the  Jews :  All  have  turned  aside  into  their  own  way,  every 
one  after  his  own  gain,  from  the  first  even  to  the  last  (Is.  lvi.  ii). 


,24  THIRD  PART.      XXXI.   INSTRUCTION 

The  Tenth  Commandment  forbids  us  to  desire  what  the  Seventh 
forbids  us  to  do. 

The  matter  which  these  two  commandments  contain  is  extensive. 
To  treat  it  with  all  the  necessary  development  will  require  several  in- 
structions. To-day  we  shall  speak  of  theft  in  general,  of  its  different 
species,  of  the  malice  of  this  sin,  and  of  the  various  pretexts  alleged  to 
excuse  theft. 

I.  To  steal  is  to  take  unjustly  the  property  of  another.  There  are 
several  sorts  of  theft. 

1st.  Simple  theft  or  larceny,  which  consists  in  stealing  secretly,  as 
do  those  who  enter  the  fields  and  orchards,  taking  care  not  to  be  seen, 
to  carry  off  grain  or  fruits,  or  who  enter  houses  to  take  hold  of  every- 
thing that  tempts  their  covetousness,  such  as  money,  clothes,  furniture, 
etc. 

2d.  Robbery,  or  theft  by  violence,  which  occurs  every  time  one 
takes  away  the  goods  of  another  in  the  owner's  presence,  or  by  force, 
as  is  done  by  robbers  on  the  public  highway. 

3d.  Theft  by  fr<iud  or  knavery,  which  generally  takes  place  in 
sales  or  in  markets. 

4th.  Theft  by  encroachment,  which  is  committed  when  a  person 
changes  the  boundaries  of  properties,  as  of  a  field,  a  vineyard,  or  w^hen 
one  takes  possession  of  a  common  ground  or  of  public  roads,  without 
being  formally  authorized  by  law ;  for  it  is  no  more  permitted  to  rob  a 
community  than  to  rob  a  simple  individual. 

5th.  Finally,  sacrilegious  theft,  which  consists  in  taking  some 
sacred  thing,  as  a  chalice,  even  in  a  place  that  is  not  sacred,  or  some- 
thing not  sacred  in  a  sacred  place.  Sacrilegious  theft  is  a  double  sin, 
and  its  nature  must  be  declared  in  confession,  if  the  matter  is  grave. 
It  is  a  sin  against  justice  and  against  religion.  To  this  kind  of  theft 
must  be  referred  the  usurpation  of  Church  goods,  of  hospitals,  the 
fraudulent  taking  away  of  the  revenues  of  the  Church,  the  product  of 
Jjequests  and  pious  donations  made  in  favor  of  a  church  or  for  the 
relief  of  the  souls  in  purgatory. 

II.  Theft,  in  whatever  way  we  may  look  at  it,  is  always  a  sin,  and 
<even  a  grievous  sin  by  its  very  nature ;  for  the  prohibition  which  God 
gives  to  us  is  formal.  Thou  shall  not  steal,  says  the  Seventh  Command- 
ment. This  prohibition  is  general,  and  applies  to  all  men,  to  the  poor 
as  well  as  to  the  rich,  and  includes  all  kinds  of  injustices.  The  Seventh 
Commandment  binds  certainly  under  pain  of  mortal  sin,  as  do  all  the 


ON  THE   SEVENTH   COMMANDMENT 


325 


divine  laws,  and  St.  Paul  expresses  himself  in  the  clearest  manner 
when  he  puts  theft  among  the  number  of  sins  which  exclude  from  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  :  Nor  the  thieves^  nor  the  covetous,  shall  possess  the 
kingdom  of  God  (I.  Cor.  vi.  10). 

Unprejudiced  reason  accepts  and  confirms  the  divine  law.  It  con- 
demns as  absurd  and  subversive  the  communistic  doctrines  which  took 
rise  some  years  ago  and  which,  prompted  by  jealousy  and  the  hatred  of 
the  poor  against  the  rich,  are  only  calculated  to  excite  man  to  revolu- 
tion. Reason  tells  us  that  he  who  has  acquired  property  by  his  labor, 
and  who  has  increased  it  by  his  economy  and  wise  foresight,  is  the 
lawful  possessor  ;  that  he  can  dispose  of  it  at  will,  and  that  nobody  has 
the  right  to  dispute  it  or  to  share  it  with  him,  and  still  less  to  rob  him 
of  it. 

The  universal  and  constant  practice  of  all  nations  is  another  proof 
of  the  lawfulness  of  private  property.  Theft  has  at  all  times  beert 
looked  upon  as  a  crime,  and  thieves  have  always  been  branded  with 
public  contempt  and  punished  by  severe  laws.  Does  the  thief  even 
think  well  of  himself,  since  he  always  seeks  the  darkness  of  the  night 
to  execute  his  projects,   and  will  not  suffer  any  one  to  call  him  a  thief. 

We  must  not,  however,  conclude  that  theft  is  always  a  mortal  sin. 
Poison  is  mortal  by  its  very  nature,  and  still  a  very  small  quantity  does 
not  cause  death.  It  is  with  theft  as  with  all  other  sins.  It  is  only 
venial  when  the  matter  is  light.  In  order  that  the  sin  may  be  mortal, 
a  somewhat  considerable  guilt  is  necessary.  But  the  guilt  necessary  to 
make  a  mortal  sin  is  a  very  difficult  point  to  decide.  Theologians  do  not 
agree  in  this  matter.  Until  lately,  the  most  common  opinion  was  that  a 
theft  of  three  dollars  from  the  rich  was  held  to  constitute  a  grievous 
matter.  But  money  has  fallen  in  value,  and  theologians  are  now  of  the 
opinion  that  a  greater  sum  is  required.  It  is  the  general  opinion  that 
a  theft  of  one  dollar  from  the  poor,  from  one  to  two  dollars  from  a 
laboring  man  or  mechanic,  from  two  to  three  dollars  from  the  mid- 
dling rich  class,  and  five  dollars  from  the  rich,  constitutes  sufficient 
matter  for  a  mortal  sin. 

But  this  rule,  if  accepted  at  all,  suffers  many  exceptions.  To  steal 
only  the  value  of  fifty  cents  from  a  very  poor  person,  who  has  nothing 
else  to  keep  himself  from  hunger,  or  to  steal  from  him  even  a  tool  of 
little  value,  but  which  is  indispensable  for  his  daily  work,  would 
be  a  sin  just  as  grievous  as  to  steal  five,  ten,  or  fifteen  dollars  from  a 
rich  person. 


226  THIRD   PART.      XXXI.    INSTRUCTION 

What  must  we  think  of  those  who  are  in  the  habit  of  committing 
small  thefts?  The  quantity  which  they  steal  each  time  not  being 
large,  do  they  sin  only  venially,  however  often  the  theft  may  be  re- 
newed? To  answer  this  question,  we  must  consider  two  things  :  the 
intention  and  the  quantity. 

If  in  committing  small  thefts,  a  person  has  the  intention  to  stop 
only  when  he  has  taken  a  large  quantity,  little  by  little,  it  is  certain 
that  he  sins  grievously  from  the  very  first  small  theft  which  he  commits, 
not  on  account  of  the  quantity  taken  each  time,  but  on  account  of  the 
intention  which  he  has  to  appropriate  a  large  quantity. 

As  to  those  who  have  no  fixed  intention  to  steal  a  large  sum,  but 
"who,  however,  renew  their  small  thefts,  and  make  it  habit,  whenever 
the  occasion  offers  itself,  they  do  not  sin  mortally  each  time,  but  if 
the  sum  of  these  small  thefts  constitutes  a  considerable  quantity, 
they  would  be  obliged,  under  pain  of  mortal  sin,  to  make  resti- 
tution. 

From  this  w^e  can  see  how  guilty  those  merchants  render  them- 
selves, who  habitually  give  false  weight,  false  measure,  or  those  farm- 
ers who  do  not  keep  their  fences  in  repair  and  permit  their  cattle  to 
enter  the  fields  of  their  neighbor  and  cause  great  damage.  Oh  !  how 
many  there  are  who  sin  grievously  through  repeated  small  thefts! 
They  would  be  ashamed  to  steal  on  the  public  highway,  or  to  break 
into  a  house ;  but  they  do  not  scruple  to  cheat  their  neighbors  and 
steal  from  them  day  after  day,  without  ever  thinking  of  accusing 
themselves  in  confession.  They  may  think  that  these  small  thefts 
amount  to  nothing,  but  in  the  end  they  do  amount  to  a  great  deal  and, 
what  is  worse,  they  harden  the  conscience  and  lead  the  way  to  great 
thefts,  even  to  robbery. 

III.  A  poor  man  may  say:  ^*  But  must  we  then  die  of  hunger, 
w^hilst  so  many  others  do  not  know  what  to  do  with  their  wealth?** 
No,  you  need  not  die  of  hunger ;  but  if  any  one  should  be  reduced  to 
such  extreme  necessity  as  knows  no  law,  I  would  tell  him :  ^^  My 
friend,  rather  than  die  of  hunger  take  provisions  wherever  you  find 
them.**  But  this  case  of  extreme  necessity  can  hardly  be  found  in  a 
country  like  ours.  In  every  congregation  there  are  so  many  charitable 
persons  that  no  one  needs  to  lack  the  necessaries  of  life.  The  poor 
need  only  to  ask,  and  they  will  easily  receive  what  is  indispensable  for 
their  subsistence.  Let  them  be  honest,  laborious,  economical,  let  them 
place  their  confidence  in  God,  and  their  efforts  will  be  blessed.     God 


ON  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT 


327 


has  a  particular  tenderness  for  the  poor,  and  will  come  to  their  aid  and 
provide  for  their  wants. 

Others  may  say  :  "  Is  compensation  not  permitted,  and  if  some  one 
does  us  wrong,  can  we  not  pay  ourselves?"  I  do  not  say,  my  brethren, 
that  in  certain  cases  this  cannot  be  done,  as  for  example,  when  you  are 
certain  that  injustice  has  been  done  to  you,  and  you  are  convinced  that 
it  will  never  be  repaired.  But  it  is  generally  better  to  employ  legal 
ways  to  obtain  justice.     No  one  ought  to  be  judge  in  his  own  cause. 

Ill-gotten  goods  do  not  generally  make  a  person  rich.  My  curse 
shall  come  to  the  house  of  the  thief  ^  and  it  shall  be  consumed  (Zach.  v. 
4).  And  even  though  you  should  prosper  with  your  ill-gotten  goods, 
what  would  be  the  gain  if  your  soul  is  lost  for  all  eternity  ?  What  doth 
it  profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  suffer  the  loss  of  his  own 
soul?  (Matt.  XVI.  26.)  One  single  reverse  of  fortune  may  rob  you  of 
all  your  earthly  riches,  and  you  must  leave  them  sooner  or  later.  Only 
the  riches  of  heaven  are  eternal,  and  nothing  can  rob  us  of  them. 
Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit  (Matt.  v.  3)  ;  that  is  those  who  live  de- 
tached from  the  things  of  this  world,  and  who,  far  from  taking  or  de- 
siring the  property  of  another,  share  their  property  with  those  who  are 
really  poor.  In  the  next  instruction  I  shall  speak  of  the  injustices  that 
are  commited  in  contracts  as  well  as  in  various  states  of  life,  and  of  the 
necessity  and  manner  of  repairing  them. 


XXXII.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Seventh  Commandment   ( Confd) 

There  are  several  kinds  of  contracts.  We  shall  speak  in  this  in- 
struction and  in  the  following  only  of  the  most  common. 

I.  Injustice  in  sales.  Fraud  can  be  committed  in  four  ways  :  in 
the  substance.,  in  the  quality.,  in  the  quantity.,  and  in  the  price  of  goods. 

In  the  substance.,  as  when  a  person  sells  one  thing  for  another;  for 
example,  a  brass  watch  for  a  golden  watch,  or  cotton  for  silk. 

In  the  quality,  as  when  a  person  sells  a  bad  thing  for  a  good  thing, 
a  spoiled  article  for  a  good  one ;    for  example,  old  cloth    for  new, 


328 


THIRD   PART.      XXXII.   INSTRUCTION 


adulterated  wine  for  pure  wine,  a  defective  animal  as  one  that  has  no 
defects. 

As  to  defects^  some  are  visible  and  others  are  hidden.  If  the  de- 
fects are  visible,  a  seller  is  not  bound  to  speak  of  them,  at  least  if  the 
buyer  does  not  formally  ask  about  them,  or  at  least  when  one  has  not 
to  do  with  a  man  so  simple  that  he  can  hardly  perceive  them.  In  this 
case  it  is  sufficient  to  lower  the  price  and  to  ask  only  for  the  real  value. 
Thus  if  a  person  sells  a  horse  which  is  blind  or  which  is  on  the  point 
of  becoming  so,  he  must  not  set  the  price  as  if  its  eyes  were  good,  but 
as  having  lost  its  sight  or  being  about  to  lose  it.  But  hidden  defects 
must  be  mentioned,  except  when  they  are  of  very  little  importance. 
Thus  if  a  person  sells  a  horse  which  is  so  vicious  that  he  can  neither 
be  ridden  or  hitched,  he  must  mention  it ;  or  if  he  sells  an  animal 
which  is  attacked  with  some  kind  of  illness,  he  must  mention  it,  and 
if  he  does  not  do  so,  he  is  bound  to  restore  more  or  less  of  the  price  as 
the  defect  diminishes  the  value  of  the  animal. 

In  the  quantity^  that  is,  in  weight  and  measure.  The  wrongs  of 
this  kind  which  are  daily  committed  are  incalculable.  Suppose  a  man 
sells  from  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  bushels  of  wheat  a  day,  and 
employs  a  false  measure  so  as  to  gain  about  one-tenth  per  each  bushel. 
On  every  ten  bushels  he  will  therefore  gain  one  bushel.  Suppose  that  a 
butcher,  a  baker,  cheats  one  ounce  in  every  pound  ;  it  is  little  in  appear- 
ance, and,  nevertheless,  when  this  man  sells  forty-eight  pounds  of  meat 
or  bread,  he  will  steal  three  pounds  every  day,  and  consequently  nearly 
eleven  hundred  pounds  per  year.      Such  dealers  sin  grievously. 

In  the  price,  if  a  seller  takes  a  higher  price  for  a  thing  than  it  is 
worth.  Merchants  are,  of  course,  allowed  to  make  an  honest  profit,  but 
there  must  always  exist  a  just  and  fair  proportion  between  the  price 
and  the  value  of  the  merchandise.  There  are  two  kinds  of  prices,  the 
legal  and  the  moral  price.  The  legal  price  is  that  which  is  determined 
by  public  authority.  This  price  being  just,  obliges  in  conscience,  and 
cannot  be  surpassed  without  committing  sin  and  without  the  obligation 
of  making  restitution.  Moral  price  is  that  which  is  founded  upon  the 
judgment  of  men  and  which  is  determined  according  to  the  ordinary 
course  of  the  markets.  There  are  three  moral  prices:  the  highest  price, 
the  middling  price,  and  the  lowest  price.  In  general,  except  in  very 
rare  cases,  it  is  not  permitted  to  sell  above  the  highest  price  nor  to  buy 
below  the  lowest.  But  it  is  very  difficult  to  assign  the  difference  be- 
tween  the  highest   price   and   the   middling   price,    and  between  the 


ON   THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT  ^29 

middling  price  and  the  lowest  price.  Several  theologians  claim  that, 
in  ordinary  things,  what  is  valued  at  five  may  be  sold  for  six  as  the 
highest  price  and  bought  at  four  for  the  lowest,  that  which  is  valued 
at  ten  can  be  sold  for  twelve  and  bought  for  eight.  But  each  of  these 
prices  may  change  from  one  day  to  another,  and  they  depend  upon  the 
greater  or  smaller  number  of  buyers  as  well  as  upon  the  abundance  or 
scarcity  of  the  merchandise. 

How  many  injustices  are  not  committed  in  buying  and  selling  ! 
Some  imposing  on  the  ignorance  or  simplicity  of  a  buyer  will  sell  an 
article  at  double  its  value  or  more;  others  profiting  by  the  necessity  in 
which  a  seller  finds  himself,  will  force  him  to  give  up  his  merchandise 
for  the  half  of  its  selling  price.  A  poor  man  is  unmercifully  pursued 
by  a  creditor,  who  threatens  to  prosecute  him  if  he  does  not  pay 
immediately.  The  unfortunate  debtor  proposes  to  sell  a  piece  of 
property  or  some  article  of  value  in  order  to  escape  the  difficulty,  and 
he  is  forced  to  part  with  it  for  much  less  than  it  is  worth.  Another 
one  greatly  desires  an  object  that  belongs  to  you,  and  you  make  him 
pay  twice,  or  three  times  its  real  value.  Are  these  not  crying  injus- 
tices? But  if  an  article  is  very  dear  to  you,  and  you  are  asked  to  sell  it, 
you  may  ask  more  than  its  ordinary  selling  price,  because  your  attach- 
ment to  the  article  really  increases  its  value  in  your  eyes. 

II.  Itijustice  in  Purchases. — Injustice  in  purchases  is  committed: 
I  St.  If  a  person  buys  objects  which  he  knows  to  be  stolen.  In  this 
case  the  purchaser  becomes  an  accomplice  in  the  theft ;  and  he  is 
obliged  to  restore  the  thing  to  its  real  master,  or  at  least  the  price  if  the 
article  be  already  consumed.  If  a  person  buys  in  good  faith  and  after- 
wards finds  that  the  goods  are  ill-gotten,  he  is  obliged  to  restore 
them  to  the  real  proprietor,  except  the  purchase  was  made  in  a 
public  market  or  at  a  public  sale,  or  from  some  merchant  who  deals 
in  such  articles,  because  then  the  civil  law  authorizes  the  buyer  to 
demand  from  the  original  proprietor  the  price  that  was  paid  for  it. 

2d.  If  a  person  buys  from  those  who  have  no  power  to  sell,  as 
from  children  who  have  no  right  over  the  goods  of  their  parents, 
or  from  wives  who  cannot  sell  anything  without  the  agreement  of 
their  husbands,  that  is,  except  their  own  private  property. 

3d.  If  a  person  who  buys  or  sells  for  another  keeps  a  portion 
of  the  money  he  has  received.  Thus,  a  tailor  who  offers  to  buy  the 
material  necessary  for  a  suit  of  clothes  he  is  to  make  is  not  permitted 
to  make  any  profit  on  the  material,  because  he  is  supposed  to  have 


33©  THIRD  PART.      XXXII.  INSTRUCT/ON 

undertaken  the  purchase  gratuitously,  and  solely  in  view  of  the  work 
furnished  to  him.  The  same  can  be  said  of  any  other  person  who  acts 
as  agent  or  as  commissioner  for  another ;  he  is  obliged  to  furnish  the 
merchandise  at  the  cost  price. 

III.  Injustice  in  Loans.  —  One  distinguishes  two  sorts  of  loans  : 
1st.  Loan  for  use;  2d.  Simple  loan. 

The  loan  for  use  is  an  agreement  by  which  one  gives  a  thing  to 
somebody,  as  for  instance,  an  animal  or  piece  of  furniture,  in  order 
to  make  use  of  it  for  a  certain  purpose,  and  during  a  definite  time.  In 
order  not  to  commit  any  injustice  in  this  contract,  the  borrower  must 
take  care  of  the  thing  borrowed  as  if  it  were  his  own,  he  must  make 
use  of  it  only  for  the  purpose  agreed  upon,  and  return  it  at  the  ap- 
pointed time  to  its  owner.  If  the  property  borrowed  is  damaged  or 
destroyed  by  the  fault  of  the  borrower,  he  is  obliged  to  repair  all 
damage.  Many  people  render  themselves  guilty  in  this  respect,  either 
by  not  taking  care  of  the  objects  which  have  been  loaned  to  them,  or 
by  never  returning  them. 

A  simple  loan  is  an  agreement  by  which  a  person  borrows  things  to 
consume  them,  such  as  grain,  provisions,  money,  with  the  understand- 
ing that  the  borrower  shall  restore,  within  a  certain  time,  the  same 
quantity,  the  same  weight,  or  the  same  measure.  By  the  effect  of  such 
a  loan  the  borrower  becomes  the  proprietor  of  the  thing  borrowed. 

But  here  the  question  presents  itself  whether  the  lender  can  require 
anything  for  the  use  of  what  he  has  loaned.  If  a  person  has  lent  a 
hundred  dollars,  can  he  require  five  or  six  dollars  at  the  end  of  the 
year  for  the  use  of  the  hundred  dollars  .'*  There  are  cases  where  it  is 
permitted  to  take  something  above  that  which  has  been  loaned.  A 
man  who,  by  loaning  his  money,  deprives  himself  of  a  real  and  lawful 
gain,  or  who  suffers  some  damage,  can,  without  failing  against  justice, 
require  the  compensation  of  this  gain  or  loss.  For  instance,  if  a  per- 
son has  the  intention  of  increasing  the  value  of  his  money  in  some 
manner,  by  buying  some  property  or  by  entering  into  a  certain  busi- 
ness, and  some  one  comes  and  asks  him  to  lend  the  money,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  lender  can  demand  interest  from  the  money  which  he 
lends,  not,  indeed,  on  account  of  the  loan,  but  on  account  of  the  proba- 
ble gain  which  he  loses,  or  on  account  of  the  damage  which  the  loan 
causes  him.  Hence,  it  is  perfectly  lawful  for  those  who  lend  money  to 
require  a  fixed  interest.  The  civil  law  has  fixed  this  interest,  as  a 
rule,  at  six  per  cent. 


ON  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT  ^31 

But,  in  admitting  that  it  is  allowed,  in  virtue  of  the  civil  law,  to 
take  six  per  cent., —  in  some  States  the  law  allows  eight  per  cent., — 
would  a  person  commit  sin  if  he  demanded  more?  Yes,  for  that  would 
be  usury,  a  species  of  injustice  which  has  been,  at  all  times,  condemned 
by  divine  and  human  laws :  Thou  shalt  not  give  him  thy  money 
upon  usury,  nor  exact  of  him  any  increase  of  fruits  (Lev.  xxv.  37). 
Do  good,  and  lend,  hoping  for  nothing  thereby  (Luke  vi.  35).  The 
Church,  in  the  holy  council  of  the  Lateran,  has  decided  that  ecclesias- 
tical burial  must  be  refused  to  all  usurers  who  die  in  final  impeni- 
tence. Moreover,  usury  has  always  been  severely  forbidden  by  the 
civil  laws.  One  must  not  be  astonished  at  this,  for  usury  is  the 
ruin  of  families,  and  a  plague  which  devours  society.  How  can  a 
house  exist  when  it  has  to  pay  seven,  eight,  ten,  twenty  per  cent., 
especially  when  property  yields  only  three  to  four  per  cent.  ?  To 
require  interest  beyond  what  the  law  allows  is,  therefore,  stealing 
the  property  of  another,  and  to  steal  with  so  much  less  excuse,  as 
often  those  who  take  it  need  it  a  good  deal  less  than  those  who  have 
to  pay  it. 

And,  nevertheless,  is  not  this  injustice  quite  common  in  the  world? 
One  who  lends  money  at  eight  per  cent.,  without  being  in  any  busi- 
ness, steals  at  least  one  dollar  per  hundred  and  ten  dollars  per  thou- 
sand. Some  persons  lend  money  only  at  six  per  cent.,  indeed,  but  as 
often  as  they  meet  their  debtor,  they  impose  upon  his  hospitality,  and 
thus  cause  him  to  increase  his  expense  considerably.  Other  creditors 
will  say  to  their  debtor:  "You  are  a  mason,  come  and  do  me  some 
work  in  masonry  ;  you  are  a  carpenter,  come  and  do  me  some  repair- 
ing; if  not,  I  shall  force  you  to  pay  me  your  debt.'*  The  unfortunate 
debtor,  happy  to  gain  some  time,  hastens  to  do  what  is  asked.  But  all 
this  service  does  not  diminish  a  cent  less  of  his  interest.  Is  it,  then, 
astonishing  to  see  some  people  becoming  rich  so  quickly,  and  others, 
on  the  contrary,  becoming  poorer  and  poorer?  I  could  never  finish,  my 
brethren,  were  I  to  enter  into  all  the  details,  but  the  little  I  have  told 
you  is  sufficient,  I  hope,  to  make  you  understand  how  common  usury 
is,  and,  consequently,  how  many  persons  are  in  danger  of  losing,  or 
rather  who  really  lose  their  souls.  For  alas !  few  usurers  expiate  their 
iniquities.  There  is  no  injustice  which  is  more  difficult  to  repair  than 
usury.  Because  the  victim  cannot  or  does  not  dare  to  protest,  the 
usurer  always  believes  himself  in  security  of  conscience.  Even  at 
death,  when  upon  the  representations  of  the  confessor,  the  dying  man 


332 


THIRD   PART.      XXXIII.  INSTRUCTION 


has  some  intention  of  making  restitution,  his  children  and  heirs  are 
often  there  to  hinder  it. 

My  brethren,  may  God  ever  preserve  you  from  all  injustice!  If  you 
have  money  or  other  things  to  lend,  lend  readily  and  honorably!  It 
is  often  an  act  of  charity  you  do.  But  limit  yourself  strictly  to  the 
interest  that  the  law  allows  you.  What  would  it  .profit  you  to  enrich 
yourself  at  the  expense  of  others  ;  it  would  only  make  you  unfortunate 
for  all  eternity.  In  lending  money,  as  in  all  other  contracts,  be  just 
and  equitable.  May  loyalty  and  good  faith  preside  over  all  your 
affairs,  and  may  you  always  act  with  an  upright  and  really  Christian 
conscience.     Amen. 


XXXIII.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Seventh  Commandment  (  Confd) 

I.  In  the  last  instruction  I  have  spoken  to  you  of  the  different 
injustices  which  are  committed  in  sales,  purchases,  and  loans,  and  espe- 
cially in  usurious  loans.     To-day  I  shall  finish  the  subject  of  injustices. 

I  St.  Promises. — One  understands  thereby  a  contract  by  which  a 
person  freely  engages  himself  to  another  to  do  a  certain  work  or  to 
furnish  some  article.  In  order  that  a  promise  may  be  obligatory,  it 
must  be  free  and  spontaneous,  made  with  full  knowledge  of  the  matter, 
and  for  a  good  and  possible  thing,  with  the  intention  of  obliging  one's 
self;  finally,  it  must  be  accepted.  I  shall  not  examine  here  whether 
one  is  obliged,  in  justice,  and  under  pain  of  sin,  to  fulfill  the  promises 
one  hasgnade,  when  they  have  not  been  put  down  in  writing,  or  made 
before  witnesses.  The  solution  of  this  question  depends  upon  a  num- 
ber of  circumstances  which  it  would  be  too  long  to  enumerate ;  but 
what  I  can  tell  you  is  that  when  by  failing  to  fulfill  your  promises,  you 
cause  damage  to  your  neighbor,  you  are  bound  to  repair  it.  Besides  a 
man  of  honor  will  keep  his  word,  and  I  remind  you  of  the  well-known 
proverb:  ^*  An  honest  man's  word  is  as  good  as  his  bond."  Thus 
supposing  a  person  has  come  to  an  agreement  with  some  one  about  the 
price  of  something  and  that  the  bargain  is  closed,  even  though  the 


ON   THE   SEVENTH   COMMANDMENT  ^33 

thing  sold  has  not  been  delivered,  and  although  no  earnest  money  was 
given,  the  seller  is  bound  to  deliver  the  goods,  and  the  buyer  is  bound 
to  receive  them. 

2d.      Donation. — A    present  once  given  does  not  belong  any  more 
to  the  giver.     If  a  person  has  given   money,   clothing,   furniture  to  a 
relative  or  friend,  and  the  gift  was  accepted,   the  things  donated  can- 
•  not  be  taken  back  without  injustice. 

A  donation  made  of  one's  property  or  money  to  take  effect  even 
before  one's  death  is  undoubtedly  lawful,  but  it  is  neither  safe  nor  pru- 
dent to  do  so.  Most  persons  who  distribute  their  property  and  execute 
their  will  before  death,  live  to  regret  it.  If  a  person  desires  to  do  good 
to  a  relative  or  to  a  friend,  let  him  limit  himself  to  making  a  will  in  his 
favor;  and  if,  later  on,  he  is  not  satisfied  with  the  conduct  of  those 
whom  he  has  favored  in  his  will  he  is  free  to  change  it. 

3d.  The  Last  Will  or  Testament. —  What  injustices  are  committed 
in  regard  to  the  last  will  of  dying  persons !  Sometimes  it  is  a  husband 
who,  having  no  children,  is  not  ashamed  to  employ  threats  and  even 
ill-treatment  in  order  to  force  his  wife  to  leave  him  her  goods.  Some- 
times it  is  a  nephew,  a  niece,  who  will  do  the  same  thing  towards  an 
uncle  or  aunt.  Here  there  are  children  who  have  recourse  to  the  most 
odious  means  to  prevent  their  father  or  their  mother  from  bequeathing 
anything  to  the  poor  or  to  the  Church  ;  there,  it  will  be  a  brother, 
a  sister,  or  some  other  relative  who,  having  already  a  will  in  their 
favor  and  knowing  that  the  sick  person  would  like  to  change  it,  will 
not  leave  him  out  of  their  sight ;  will  thus  hinder  the  person  to  whom 
the  dying  may  have  the  intention  to  leave  his  property  from  seeing 
him,  and  will  do  all  in  their  power  to  hinder  the  notary  public 
from  being  called  in  order  to  make  another  will.  Testaments  made 
under  such  circumstances  are  null  and  void  from  a  Christian  point  of 
view,  and  those  who  execute  them  are  real  robbers  of  the  property 
of  others.  Full  and  entire  liberty  must  be  left  to  the  sick  and  to 
others  in  regard  to  matters  of  the  last  will.  They  have  a  perfect  right 
to  leave  their  property  to  whom  they  please;  and  to  force  them 
through  cunning,  or  other  unjust  means,  to  act  differently,  is  to  rob* 
them  of  their  goods.  It  is  useless  to  allege  that  when  the  testator 
is  dead  and  the  last  will  accepted,  you  are  rigorously  bound  to  execute 
it  and  to  fulfill  the  pious  bequests  thereof  as  well  as  the  others  within 
the  appointed  time.  How  shamefully  unjust  and  ungrateful  are  they 
who  enjoy  the  inheritance  left  them  by  a  relative  without  fulfilling  the 


334 


THIRD   PART.      XXXIIl.  INSTRUCTION 


pious  bequests  of  the  will  to  the  Church  and  to  the  poor,  and  also 
deprive  the  soul  of  the  dead  of  all  the  consolations  which  he  so  fondly 
expected  to  enjoy. 

4th.  Contracts  of  Marriage.  —  A  young  man  who  intends  to  get 
married  should  honestly  tell  the  state  of  his  fortune,  and  not  pretend 
to  be  rich  if  he  is  not;  and  if  he  has  debts,  he  should  declare  them. 
Dishonesty  and  deceit  in  the  arrangements  for  marriage  are  often  the 
cause  of  misery  in  married  life. 

5th.  Games. — Those  who  commit  injustice  in  games  are:  ist.  Those 
w^ho  refuse  to  pay  what  they  have  lost.  Although  the  civil  law  is 
silent  in  regard  to  these  debts,  everyone  is,  nevertheless,  bound  by 
the  natural  law  to  pay  debts  contracted  in  this  manner,  provided  that 
everything  was  done  without  fraud  and  in  good  faith ;  2d.  Those 
who  win  money  and  demand  payment  from  minors  or  from  married 
women  who  have  no  property  of  their  own,  and  who  have  no  power 
over  the  family  property ;  3d.  Those  who  employ  fraud  or  deceit,  or 
who  violate  the  rules  of  the  game. 

Games  considered  as  a  pastime  or  amusement  are  certainly  not  to 
be  condemned ;  on  the  contrary,  they  are  often  useful ;  honesty  and 
good  faith  must  rule  in  all  games,  otherwise  they  become  the  source  of 
much  evil.  In  order  not  to  make  an  abuse  of  games  and  to  avoid  all 
sin,  observe  the  following  rules  :  Play  with  moderation  and  calmness 
and,  whatever  may  be  the  fortune  of  the  game,  never  give  way  to 
passion  and  anger.  Do  not  spend  too  much  time  at  play,  especially 
on  Sunday,  and  do  not  expose  yourselves  to  lose  great  sums  and  to  risk 
your  fortune  ;  and,  finally,  play  only  as  a  means  of  recreation  and 
amusement. 

6th.  Larjosuits. — Those  render  themselves  guilty  of  injustice  in  law- 
suits who  make  use  of  lies,  of  calumnies,  and  other  unjust  means;  who 
gain  the  favor  of  judges  by  presents  or  promises;  who  produce  false 
titles,  or  destroy  papers  essential  to  the  opposite  party.  Any  one  who 
should  gain  his  lawsuit  by  any  of  these  unjust  means,  would  be  obliged 
not  only  to  restore  what  he  has  wrongfully  gained,  but  also  all  the  costs 
which  he  occasioned. 

II.  After  having  spoken  to  you  about  the  principal  injustices  which 
are  committed  in  contracts,  it  remains  for  me  to  speak  of  those  which 
take  place  in  the  various  states  and  professions.  But  I  cannot  enter 
into  details  about  all  these  injustices.  I  shall  content  myself  with 
pointing   out    those    which   are    most    generally    committed    between 


ON   THE   SEVENTH   COMMANDMENT 


335 


husbands  and  wives,  parents  and  children,  masters  and  servants,  and 
merchants  and  their  customers. 

I  St.  The  husband  is  the  master  only  of  the  revenues  of  the  dotal 
goods  of  his  wife ;  he  has  no  right  over  her  individual  property.  The 
wife,  on  the  other  hand,  commits  an  injustice  against  her  husband 
whenever  she  employs  the  common  property  for  any  other  purpose 
than  the  support  of  the  family. 

2d.  Parents  render  themselves  guilty  of  injustice  in  regard  to  their 
children,  whenever  they  favor  one  child  more  than  another.  How- 
ever, if  one  of  the  children  works  for  his  parents  they  can  certainly 
repay  such  child  by  a  special  share  in  their  property.  Children  sin 
against  justice,  and  are  bound  to  make  restitution,  if  they  take  some- 
thing from  their  parents  to  which  they  have  no  right,  or  without  a 
reasonably  presumed  consent. 

3d.  Masters  render  themselves  guilty  of  injustice  towards  their 
servants  when  they  do  not  pay  them  their  wages  agreed  upon,  or  when 
they  make  them  wait  too  long  a  time,  when  they  overburden  them 
with  work,  or  when  they  do  not  furnish  them  proper  food.  Serv- 
ants sin,  and  are  bound  to  make  restitution,  if  they  steal  money, 
provisions,  or  other  things  from  their  master,  or  if  they  do  not  take 
sufficient  care  of  the  goods  of  their  masters;  if  they  lose  their  time,  if 
they  quit  work  before  the  time  agreed  upon  and  without  reason,  thus 
leaving  their  master  in  a  predicament ;  if  they  damage  or  break  the 
furniture  or  tools  by  their  carelessness,  and  if  they  allow  things  under 
their  care  to  perish  through  want  of  sufficient  care. 

I  will  not  pursue  this  subject  any  further.  Enough  has  been  said 
so  that  each  one  can  easily  understand  his  duty,  and  I  leave  it  to 
each  one  to  examine  his  conscience  on  this  subject.  Let  those  who 
find  themselves  guilty,  abandon  their  evil  course,  or  restore  the  goods 
wrongly  acquired. 


236  THIRD   PART.      XXXIV.    INSTRUCTION 

XXXIV.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Seventh  Commandment  (  Concluded) 

I.  If  it  is  forbidden  to  take  the  goods  of  another  unjustly,  it  is  also 
forbidden  to  keep  them  unjustly.  Those  who  render  themselves  guilty 
in  this  regard  are  :  — 

ist.  Those  who  have  stolen  something  and  who  neglect  to  make 
restitution.  The  longer  the  restitution  is  deferred,  the  more  grievous 
the  sin  becomes. 

2d.  Those  who  refuse  to  pay  their  debts,  or  who  delay  in  paying 
them.  If  through  a  long  and  unjustifiable  delay  any  loss  is  caused  to 
the  creditor,  the  debtor  is  bound  to  repair  it.  Many  deceive  them- 
selves on  this  point.  Without  speaking  of  those  men  devoid  of  all 
honor,  who  are  not  ashamed  to  deny  their  debts,  if  the  creditors  can- 
not prove  the  existence  of  the  debt,  how  many  there  are  who,  by  un- 
necessary delays  and  by  criminal  negligence,  cause  as  much  harm  to 
their  creditors  as  if  they  denied  their  debts  altogether.  They  have 
money  for  everything  else,  for  costly  dresses,  for  drink,  for  amusements  ; 
but  when  there  is  a  question  of  paying  their  just  debts,  they  never 
have  any.  Meanwhile  their  creditors  suffer  by  being  deprived  of  their 
money;  if  they  had  it,  they  could  make  use  of  it  for  their  wants,  or 
they  could  pay  their  own  debts  for  which  they  have  to  pay  high  inter- 
ests, or  they  could  invest  it  profitably.  Such  bad  debtors,  therefore, 
fail  against  justice,  as  well  as  against  honor. 

3d.  Those  who  are  not  faithful  in  restoring  the  deposits  intrusted 
to  them.  A  deposit  is  a  sacred  thing  which  the  trustee  is  not  permit- 
ted to  use.  Any  one  who  has  charge  of  a  deposit,  must  put  it  in  a 
secure  place  and  return  it  at  any  time  he  is  requested  to  do  so.  If  it 
is  money  that  has  been  intrusted  to  some  one  to  be  employed  in  good 
works  after  the  death  of  the  owner,  the  trustee  is  bound  to  take  the 
necessary  precautions  so  that,  in  case  he  should  die  before  the  owner, 
the  money  will  be  returned. 

4th.  Those  who  do  not  faithfully  administer  the  property  of  others 
intrusted  to  their  care.  If  guardians  of  minors,  for  instance,  or  pub- 
lic officials,  who  are  intrusted  with  the  money  of  the  public,  should 
turn  any  part  of  the  money  or  property  under  their  care  to  their  own 
profit  they  would  commit  a  great  injustice. 

Articles  that  are  found  must  be  distinguished  as  having  an  owner, 
or  as  having  no  owner. 


ON   THE   SEVENTH   COMMANDMENT 


337 


A  treasure  hidden  away  or  buried,  which  has  been  discovered  by 
mere  chance,  and  to  which  no  one  can  establish  a  legal  claim,  is  con- 
sidered as  having  no  owner.  In  the  eyes  of  the  law  the  one  who 
discovers  a  treasure  is  the  owner,  if  it  lies  in  his  own  property.  But 
ff  it  lies  within  the  property  of  another,  half  belongs  to  the  finder  and 
half  to  the  owner  of  the  property  in  which  the  treasure  was  found. 
Wild  animals  are  classed  among  things  having  no  owner.  Things 
found  belong  to  the  one  who  has  owned  them.  Thou  shall  not  pass 
by  if  thou  scest  thy  brother'' s  ox,  or  his  sheep  go  astray,  but  thou  shalt 
bring  them  back  to  thy  brother.  And  if  thy  brother  be  not  nigh,  or 
thou  knotv  him  not,  thou  shalt  bring  them  to  thy  house,  and  they  shall 
be  ivith  thee  until  thy  brother  seek  them.  Thou  shalt  do  in  like  manner 
with  his  ass,  and  with  his  raiment,  and  with  everything  that  is  thy 
brother' s,  which  is  lost  (Deut.  xxii.  1-3).  "What  thou  hast  found  and 
dost  not  return  thou  hast  stolen,*  says  St.  Augustine. 

If  a  person  has  found  some  lost  article  he  must  try  to  find  out 
the  real  owner.  If  the  owner  comes  to  claim  his  property  it  should  be 
returned  to  him  without  requiring  from  him  any  other  indemnity  but 
that  of  the  expenses  incurred  in  trying  to  find  the  owner  or  for  the 
keeping  of  the  objects  in  your  possession.  However,  if  the  owner 
wishes  to  show  his  gratitude,  as  is  often  the  case,  the  finder  may  accept 
without  scruple  whatever  is  offered  to  him. 

But  if  the  owner  does  not  present  himself,  and  if  the  finder  has 
every  reason  to  believe  that  he  never  will  present  himself,  then,  accord- 
ing to  the  teaching  of  theologians,  it  is  best  to  employ  the  thing  found, 
or  its  value,  in  good  works.  If  the  value  is  considerable,  it  would  be 
well  to  intrust  it  to  some  charitable  institution  to  be  used  for  the  wants  of 
the  poor,  with  the  understanding  that  it  be  returned  in  case  the  lawful 
owner  claims  it.  If  the  value  of  the  thing  found  is  not  considerable, 
and  if  the  finder  is  poor,  he  may  keep  it  for  himself,  but  only  after 
having  obtained  the  authorization  of  his  confessor,  because  no  one  must 
be  judge  in  his  own  cause. 

II.  Damage  caused  to  the  property  of  others  is  a  very  common 
source  of  injustice.  I  shall  not  enumerate  all  the  kinds  of  damages 
that  may  arise.  It  will  be  sufficient  to  point  out  some  of  the  most 
common  cases. 

Those  are  gjuilty  of  damaging  their  neighbor's  property  who,  not 
only  steal  the  fruit,  but  also  injure  the  trees;  who  poison  private  rivers 
or  ponds,  in  order  to  catch  the  fish  ;  who  go  hunting  in  private  fields; 
22 


338 


THIRD   PART.      XXXIV.    INSTRUCTION 


who  cause  damage  to  the  flock  of  their  neighbor.     All  such  persons 
are  obliged  to  repair  the  damage  they  have  caused. 

III.  The  Seventh  Commandment  forbids  all  cooperation  in  an  injus- 
tice. To  render  oneself  guilty  in  this  regard,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
steal  with  one's  own  hands,  but  it  is  sufficient  to  contribute  to  it  in 
any  manner,  either  through  actions,  or  words,  or  even  by  omission,  in 
not  hindering  the  evil  when  one  is  bound  to  do  so  by  his  state  and 
duty.  Thus,  for  instance,  he  who  furnishes  the  ladder  to  a  thief,  or 
who  holds  it  for  him  so  that  he  may  enter  a  house,  or  who  stands  guard 
while  the  theft  is  going  on,  is  guilty  of  theft,  as  well  as  the  thief 
himself. 

He  who  keeps  a  thief  in  his  house  in  order  to  conceal  and  protect 
him,  or  who  conceals  stolen  objects,  is  an  accomplice  in  the  theft,  and 
is  bound  to  make  restitution. 

If  a  parent  or  a  master  has  knowledge  that  his  child  or  his  servant 
intends  to  steal  the  property  of  others  and  he  does  not  hinder  him, 
although  he  can  do  so,  he  is  an  accomplice  in  the  injustice  and  is 
obliged  to  make  reparation  if  the  thieves  themselves  do  not  do  it.  A 
servant  charged  to  watch  over  other  servants  must  inform  his  master 
of  the  thefts  which  they  commit  and  of  the  damages  which  they  cause, 
and  if  he  fails  to  do  so,  he  sins ;  and  if  the  dishonest  servants  do  not 
repair  the  injury  they  have  caused,  he  himself  is  bound  to  make  resti- 
tution. 

IV.  It  remains  for  me  to  speak  of  restitution.  To  obtain  pardon 
for  your  injustices,  they  must,  of  course,  be  confessed,  and  penance  must 
be  done  for  them.  But  in  this  case  confession  and  penance  are  of  no 
avail  without  restitution,  or  at  least  without  the  intention  of  making 
restitution.  This  necessity  of  restitution  is  established  upon  the  first 
principles  of  the  natural  law ;  only  a  real  impossibility  can  dispense 
any  one  from  this  obligation.  Such  is  the  unchangeable  rule.  St. 
Augustine  says  :  Sin  is  pardoned  only  in  so  far  as  the  thing  stolen 
is  restored.  Not  to  make  restitution  if  one  can  do  so  is  to  continue 
stealing,  and  a  confessor  cannot  absolve  a  person  that  would  refuse  to 
fulfill  this  duty. 

Restitution  must  be  made  completely.  The  stolen  property  must  be 
returned,  or  at  least  its  value,  if  the  thing  itself  cannot  be  restored. 
Moreover,  the  owner  must  be  indemnified  for  the  loss  that  the  absence 
of  his  property  might  have  caused  him.  A  thief,  if  he  keeps  stolen 
money  for  a  year  or  for  two  years,  must  return  both  the  money  and  the 


ON   THE   SEVENTH   COMMANDMENT 


339 


interest  on  the  money  for  the  period  he  keeps  it,  and  at  the  ordinary- 
rate  of  interest.  A  thief  who  has  stolen  a  tool  from  a  laborer,  thus 
preventing  him  from  doing  his  daily  work,  must  give  back  the  tool 
and  make  restitution  for  the  wages  he  has  prevented  the  laborer  from 
earning. 

Restitution  must  be  made  to  the  owner  of  the  stolen  property,  or  to 
his  heirs  if  he  be  dead.  Honest  search  must  be  made  for  them,  but  if 
they  cannot  be  found  the  value  of  the  property  stolen  should  be 
employed  in  works  of  charity.  If  honest  and  efficient  efforts  have  not 
been  made  to  find  the  real  owner  or  his  heirs,  and  if  the  thief  employs 
the  value  of  the  stolen  goods  in  charity,  he  is  still  bound  to  make  a 
restitution  to  the  real  owners  if  they  claim  the  property.  Merchants 
who  have  done  wrong  to  the  public  through  false  weights  or  measures 
must  also  make  restitution  to  the  public  by  giving  as  much  in  surplus 
weight  or  measure  as  they  have  defrauded  by  false  weights  or  meas- 
ures. If,  however,  their  customers  are  different,  they  must  indemnify 
their  old  customers  personally,  if  possible,  or  else  employ  the  value  in 
works  of  charity. 

Restitution  must  be  made  as  soon  as  possible.  The  longer  the 
restitution  is  delayed  the  more  guilty  the  thief  becomes  and  the  more 
difficult  it  will  become  to  make  restitution.  Death  may  strike  the 
thief  unexpectedly,  and  then  who  can  make  restitution.''  Either  your 
injustice  is  known  to  your  heirs,  or  not.  If  it  is  not  known  to  them, 
reparation  will  never  be  made ;  and  if  it  is  known  to  them,  can  any 
one  reasonably  hope  that  they  will  do  it  better  than  yourselves.'' 

But  some  one  may  say  :  "  If  I  make  restitution,  my  children  will  be 
ruined.**  Well,  and  what  of  it?  Would  you  damn  yourself  for  the 
sake  of  your  children?  Restitution  must  be  made,  even  if  it  cost  you 
your  fortune.  You  may  have  to  begin  all  over  again,  but  your  con- 
science will  be  at  ease,  and  you  will  have  the  consolation  of  leaving 
your  children  in  possession  of  a  property  honorably  acquired,  or  if  in 
poverty,  it  will  at  least  be  an  honorable  poverty. 

But  another  says:  "I  shall  make  restitution  before  I  die."  But 
who  assures  you  that  death  will  give  you  time  to  make  it?  Are  you 
so  sure  that  in  the  last  illness,  you  shall  have  the  time,  the  will,  and 
the  power  to  do  it  ?  A  certain  rich  man  who  owed  his  wealth  only  to 
numerous  injustices,  delayed  restitution  until  his  death.  Finally,  he 
was  touched  with  repentance,  and  having  fallen  ill  he  called  a  notary 
public   and   made   his   last   will   in   such   a  manner  as   to   repair  the 


340 


THIRD   PART.      XXXV.   INSTRUCTION 


wrongs  he  had  done.  His  wife  heard  of  this  and,  bringing  the  chil- 
dren to  his  bedside,  said  to  him  :  "  If  you  charge  us  with  so  many- 
bequests  and  so  many  restitutions,  what  will  become  of  me  and  these 
poor  children?  *'  The  sick  man  was  touched  and  drew  up  a  new  will 
in  which  there  was  no  provision  made  for  restitution.  A  few  mo- 
ments later  he  was  seized  with  remorse  ;  but  it  was  too  late.  The 
death-agony  came  on  and  he  expired  \vithout  having  repaired  any  of 
the  injustices  he  had  committed. 

All  the  pretexts  which  are  alleged  to  dispense  oneself  from  mak- 
ing restitution  are  futile.  The  sacrifice  must  be  made  and  the  sooner 
it  is  made  the  better.  You  will  thus  regain  your  peace  of  conscience 
and  merit  the  imperishable  goods  of  eternity.     Amen. 


XXXV.  INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Eighth  Commandment 

Thou  Shalt  Not  Bear  False    Witness  against  Thy  Neighbor 

The  Eighth  Commandment  forbids  all  that  might  injure  the  honor 
and  reputation  of  our  neighbor,  as  the  Fifth  forbids  all  that  injures  his 
person,  and  the  Seventh  forbids  all  that  injures  him  in  his  temporal 
goods.  It  forbids  false  testimony  in  a  court  of  justice,  lies,  equivoca- 
tions, calumny,  detraction,  flattery,  and  rash  judgment.  I  shall  speak 
successively  of  each  of  these  sins.  In  this  instruction  I  shall  treat  of 
false  testimony,  of  lying,  and  of  equivocation. 

I.  False  Testimony.  —  False  testimony  is  a  deposition  against  the 
truth,  made  ordinarily  in  a  court  of  justice.  A  person  renders  himself 
guilty  of  this  crime,  not  only  if  he  attests  as  true  what  he  knows  to  be 
false,  but,  also,  if  he  declares  that  to  be  certain  which  he  knows  is 
doubtful,  or  if  by  promises,  threats,  or  other  means,  he  induces  others 
to  give  false  testimony,  or,  finally,  on  being  required  in  a  court  of  jus- 
tice to  declare  what  he  knows,  he  does  not  say  all  that  he  knows  about 
the  affair  in  question.  He  has  taken  an  oath  to  tell  the  truth,  and  he 
renders  himself  guilty  of  perjury  if  he  does  not  tell  the  entire  truth. 
No  matter  whether  the  accused  is  a  relative,  a  friend,  or  a  benefactor. 


ON   THE   EIGHTH   COMMANDMENT  ^41 

the  whole  truth  must  be  told  to  the  court.  Even  then  if  there  were 
question  of  a  man  whom  a  witness  could  reasonably  fear,  he  would  be 
bound  to  tell  the  whole  truth. 

I  need  not  insist  on  the  enormity  of  the  sin  of  false  testimony.  At 
one  and  the  same  time  it  attacks  truth,  charity,  justice,  and  the  virtue 
of  religion. 

It  injures  truth  in  a  grievous  manner,  because  it  tells  a  lie  in  the 
most  important  circumstances.  It  wounds  charity,  because  it  cannot 
fail  to  injure  the  reputation  of  the  one  against  whom  it  is  directed. 
It  vf o\xndi?>  justice,  because  it  wrongs  others  in  their  temporal  goods. 
It  attacks  the  virtue  of  religion,  because  it  calls  upon  the  God  of  truth 
to  witness  to  a  lie. 

In  Holy  Scripture  God  forbids  false  testimony  under  pain  of  the 
most  severe  penalties.  It  is  said  in  the  Book  of  Proverbs:  A  lying 
witness  shall  not  be  unpunished  (Prov.  xix.  5),  and  that  a  lying  wit- 
ness shall  perish  (Prov.  xxi.  28).  The  sacred  text  furnishes  a  dread- 
ful example  of  the  vengeance  which  sometimes  overtakes  those  who  com- 
mit this  crime.  The  impious  Achab  had  bribed  two  false  witnesses  in 
order  to  condemn  a  man  to  death.  The  sentence  was  scarcely  executed 
when  Elias  was  sent  by  God  to  announce  to  Achab  that  the  dogs  who 
had  licked  the  blood  of  the  innocent  Naboth,  would  one  day  lick  his  own 
blood  in  the  same  place,  and  that  his  whole  posterity  would  perish 
miserably,  as  well  as  Jezebel,  his  wife,  who  had  advised  him  to  com- 
mit the  crime.  God's  threat  was  literally  fulfilled.  Under  the  law  of 
Moses,  false  witnesses  were  condemned  to  suffer  the  same  punishment 
which  would  have  been  decreed  against  the  accused  had  they  been 
found  guilty  (Deut.  xix.  19).  The  Church  has  not  shown  herself 
less  severe,  and  in  several  of  her  Councils  she  has  declared  false 
witnesses  to  be  excommunicated.  The  civil  law  also  inflicts  the  most 
rigorous  chastisements  upon  false  witnesses. 

Could  I  inspire  you  with  too  much  horror  for  such  a  crime?  Think 
of  the  frightful  consequences  of  perjury.  The  perjurer  not  only  loses 
his  soul  and  eternity,  but  he  loses  his  reputation  and  his  fortune  in  this 
life.  For  is  not  a  false  witness  despised  by  all  honest  men?  His 
crime  is  a  stain  on  his  character,  and  even  his  children  suffer  from  his 
evil  reputation.  Is  it  not  one  of  the  greatest  of  insults  to  be  called  a 
perjurer?  A  perjurer  is  responsible  for  all  the  wrongs  which  he  causes 
to  the  accused  person  by  his  false  testimony.  If  he  causes  an  innocent 
man  to  be  condemned  to  infamous  punishments,  he  must  repair  the 


242  THIRD  PART.      XXXV.  INSTRUCTION 

honor  of  the  injured  person,  and  all  the  pecuniary  damages  which  may 
be  the  consequence  of  the  condemnation;  if  he  causes  some  one  to  lose 
a  lawsuit,  he  must  indemnify  all  the  loss  which  he  caused  to  the  in- 
jured party.  But  is  it  an  easy  matter  to  restore  the  honor  and  to 
repair  the  fortune  of  a  family,  especially  when  there  is  question  of 
an  important  lawsuit,  or  when  the  accused  has  been  condemned  to 
hard  labor  or  to  death.  Ah!  let  him  tremble  who  has  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  render  himself  guilty  of  the  fearful  crime  of  perjury. 

If  you  are  called  upon  to  give  testimony  before  a  judge,  be  careful, 
reflect  well  before  speaking ;  if  you  know  nothing  certain,  say  nothing ; 
if  you  doubt,  say  that  you  doubt ;  declare  what  you  know  to  be  true, 
without  hesitation,  without  fear,  and  without  human  respect.  Since 
you  have  sworn  to  tell  the  whole  truth,  you  must  declare  all  that  you 
know ;  the  interest  of  your  soul  and  of  your  honor  demands  this. 

Those  who  bribe  false  witnesses  are  as  guilty  as  the  witnesses  them- 
selves and  are  obliged  to  repair  the  damages  caused.  Those,  also,  who 
falsify  accounts,  or  forge  signatures,  must  be  ranked  among  false  wit- 
nesses. 

II.  Lies  and  Equivocations. — To  lie  is  to  speak  against  one's 
convictions  with  the  intention  of  deceiving.  Consequently,  one  can 
lie  while  telling  the  truth,  and  one  may  not  tell  the  truth  without 
really  telling  a  lie.  For  example,  if  you  say  that  your  father  is  not  at 
home,  and  he  is  really  there,  but  in  affirming  it  you  believe  that  he  has 
gone  out,  you  do  not  tell  a  lie.  On  the  other  hand,  if  you  say  that  he  has 
gone  out,  believing  so  in  good  faith,  and,  nevertheless,  he  is  at  home, 
you  do  not  tell  a  lie,  because  you  say  w^hat  you  thought. 

Equivocations  are  words  which  have  two  meanings  and  which  are 
employed  to  deceive  others.  A  father  asks  his  son  during  Easter  time, 
whether  he  has  gone  to  confession,  and  the  child  answers,  yes,  mean- 
ing he  went  the  year  before;  this  is  an  equivocation.  Equivocation 
hardly  differs  from  lying,  and,  consequently,  what  I  say  of  one  may 
generally  be  applied  to  the  other. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  lies  :  jocose,  officious,  and  pernicious  lies. 
A  jocose  lie  is  one  told  in  fun  or  joke ;  an  officious  lie  is  one  told  to 
render  some  service  to  oneself  or  to  somebody  else ;  and  the  perni- 
cious lie  is  one  told  with  the  intention  of  injuring  one's  neighbor. 

Many  people  wrongly  imagine  a  lie  to  be  a  trifle,  especially  if  it  is 
told  in  fun  or  to  amuse  some  one.  Every  lie  is  a  sin,  but  the  guilt  may 
differ  according  to  circumstances.       A  lie   displeases  God  who  is  the 


ON   THE  EIGHTH   COMMANDMENT  ^43 

truth  itself.  It  is  opposed  to  God  as  the  darkness  is  opposed  to  the 
light.  God  has  given  us  speech  to  express  our  thoughts,  and  we  act 
against  His  intentions  when  we  use  speech  to  disguise  our  thoughts. 
God  forbids  lying  in  the  most  explicit  manner:  Lying  lips  are  an 
abomination  (Pro v.  xii.  5);  Be  not  willing'  to  make  any  manner  of  lie 
(Eccl.  VII.  14).  And  the  sacred  writer  adds:  Six  things  there  are, 
which  the  Lord  hatetk,  among  the  number  of  which  is  a  lying  tongue 
(Prov.  VI.  16-17). 

God  has  punished  liars  in  the  most  exemplary  manner.  Giesi, 
servant  of  the  prophet  Eliseus,  was  covered  with  leprosy  because  he 
had  sought  to  deceive  his  master.  Ananias  and  Saphira  fell  dead  at 
the  feet  of  St.  Peter  for  having  lied  in  regard  to  the  sale  of  a  field,  of 
the  price  of  which  they  desired  to  keep  a  part. 

A  lie  is  always  a  sin,  because  it  is  essentially  hurtful  to  society  and 
to  the  good  relations  that  ought  to  exist  among  men.  If  good  faith 
were  absent,  if  sincerity  were  only  an  idle  word,  and  if  we  had  to  dis- 
trust all  we  hear,  and  to  be  always  on  our  guard  not  to  be  deceived  or 
cheated,  how  could  society  exist.?  There  would  be  no  longer  any 
security  in  the  commerce  of  life.  There  would  be  suspicion  and  un- 
easiness everywhere,  because  everywhere  there  would  be  only  traps 
and  snares. 

Men  have  always  attached  a  sort  of  odium  to  lying ;  it  is  regarded 
as  the  work  of  a  base  soul,  and  of  a  character  without  dignity.  As 
much  as  we  esteem  a  man  of  noble  sentiments,  and  who  is  incapable  of 
deception,  so  much  do  we  despise  one  who  lies  and  deceives.  We  do 
not  believe  him  even  if  he  tells  the  truth. 

I  said  that  a  lie  is  a  sin  more  or  less  great  according  to  circum- 
stances. In  fact,  it  often  happens  that  the  sin  is  only  venial,  for 
example,  when  a  lie  is  told  only  to  enliven  the  conversation,  or  to 
render  a  service  to  some  one.  But  there  are  also  cases  where  a  lie 
would  be  a  mortal  sin  ;  for  instance,  if  a  person  conceals  grievous  sins 
in  confession,  or  when  lies  are  told  by  impious  persons,  to  insult 
religion ;  when  contrary  to  their  own  conviction  they  ridicule  its 
teaching,  treat  as  fables  all  the  truths  it  teaches,  and,  finally,  when  a 
lie  is  told  in  an  important  matter,  to  hurt  our  neighbor,  that  is,  to  in- 
jure him  in  his  goods  or  in  his  honor.  In  all  these  circumstances,  and 
in  many  similar  ones,  the  mouth  that  belieth,  killeth  the  soul,  according 
to  the  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost  (Wis.  1.  11).  And  lying  lips  are  an 
abomination  to  the  Lord  (Prov.  xii.  22). 


344 


THIRD   PART.      XXXV.    INSTRUCTION 


•  *^  But,"  says  this  merchant,  "  how  can  I  help  lying  if  I  cannot  sell 
my  goods  or  satisfy  my  clients  in  any  other  way?*'  I  answer  that  you 
do  not  use  the  right  means  to  attain  your  end.  A  liar,  sooner  or  later, 
loses  all  credit  and  confidence.  Uprightness  and  candor  would  serve 
your  interests  a  good  deal  better,  and  a  reputation  for  sincerity  and 
honesty  would  attract  customers  and  increase  your  business  and  yout 
profits.  But  even  though  lies  are  sometimes  useful  to  you,  should  you, 
for  some  temporal  gain,  sacrifice  the  more  important  interests  of  your 
soul,  the  interests  of  your  eternity?  It  is  true,  the  sin  of  lying  is  often 
not  mortal,  but  it  is  always  at  least  a  venial  sin  ;  and  do  you  think  it  is  a 
small  evil  to  be  separated  from  God,  to  be  deprived  of  graces  and  to 
condemn  yourselves  to  the  flames  of  purgatory? 

"  But,''  says  a  wife,  **  if  I  do  not  sometimes  deceive  my  husband;  if 
I  must  tell  him  the  whole  truth  and  always,  it  would  be  impossible  for 
us  to  live  in  peace."  Conduct  yourself  as  you  ought,  be  economical, 
industrious,  reserved  in  your  language,  faithful.  .  .  .  And,  then, 
in  order  to  live  in  harmony  with  your  husband,  you  will  not  need  to 
tell  lies.  And,  besides,  in  case  you  have  failed  in  something,  would 
it  not  be  better  to  humbly  admit  your  fault  to  your  husband  who, 
if  he  is  reasonable,  will  be  inclined  to  excuse  you  and  treat  you  with 
indulgence  ? 

^*  But,"  says  another,  "  ^vhen  I  lie,  it  is  only  to  render  a  service  to 
my  neighbor,  to  my  friend,  and  to  spare  to  him  great  pains."  In  this 
case  St.  Augustine  answers  you  that  even  then  if  there  should  be 
question  of  saving  the  life  of  some  one,  even  when  you  could  not 
otherwise  give  baptism  to  a  new-born  child  of  pagan  parents,  you  are 
not  permitted  to  lie ;  because  a  lie  is  an  evil  by  its  very  nature,  and  it 
is  never  allowed  to  do  evil  that  good  may  result  from  it. 

^*  But,"  says  another,  *^  if  it  is  never  permitted  to  lie  openly,  can 
I  not,  at  least,  use  some  equivocal  words  or  mental  reservations?"  I 
admit  that  there  are  cases  where  the  necessity  of  secrecy,  or  accepted 
custom,  authorizes  this  manner  of  speaking.  Thus,  for  example,  if 
you  are  asked  about  a  confidential  thing  about  which  you  cannot  say 
anything,  you  may  answer  :  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it.  If  a 
poor  man  asks  you  for  alms,  and  you  cannot  give  him  any,  you  may 
tell  him  that  you  have  no  money.  If  a  domestic  is  asked  whether  his 
master  is  at  home,  and  if  the  master  is  at  home  but  is  busy,  or  if  he 
does  not  wish  to  receive  anybody,  the  domestic  may  answer  :  **  My 
master  is  not  at  home."    In  these  circumstances  it  is  evident  that  there 


ON   THE   EIGHTH   COMMANDMENT  ^45 

is  no  lie,  because  the  terms  employed  are  only  a  polite  manner  of  dis- 
missing people  whom  we  cannot  satisfy.  But  apart  from  these  few 
cases  authorized  by  custom,  you  must  avoid  mental  reservations  or 
equivocations  as  much  as  a  lie,  because,  after  all,  they  are  nothing 
else. 

My  brethren,  have  a  horror  for  lying,  and  avoid  it  most  carefully. 
The  saints  give  you  good  examples.  It  is  related  that  St.  Andrew 
Avellinus,  having  had  the  misfortune  to  tell  a  lie  in  defending  a  bad 
cause,  abandoned  his  career  of  lawyer  and  devoted  the  remainder  of 
his  life  to  exercises  of  the  severest  penance.  A  saintly  French  priest 
having  been  seized  by  the  satellites  of  the  great  French  Revolution  in 
1793,  a  very  influential  personage  obtained  his  pardon  by  claiming 
that  the  accused  person  had  been  ordained  priest  during  the  revolu- 
tion, and,  consequently,  was  not  subject  to  the  laws  which  proscribed 
priests.  The  fearless  confessor  of  the  faith  replied:  "Ah!  my  good 
sir,  is  the  most  precious  life  worthy  of  being  saved  by  a  lie.-*  '^  And 
he  fearlessly  laid  his  head  on  the  block.  If  you  are  so  fortunate  as  not 
to  have  contracted  the  habit  of  lying,  be  careful  not  to  fall  into  a  habit 
so  fatal  in  the  eyes  of  faith,  and  so  repulsive  in  the  eyes  of  reason, 
remembering  that  there  is  nothing  so  amiable  in  the  world  as  upright- 
ness and  sincerity.  If,  however,  you  have  the  habit  of  telling  lies, 
try  to  correct  yourselves  whatever  it  may  cost ;  God's  grace  and  a 
firm  will  are  sufficient.  We  are  told  of  a  certain  merchant,  that  he  im- 
posed upon  himself  for  penance  to  give  to  the  poor  twice  the  amount 
of  whatever  he  should  gain  by  lies ;  and  of  another,  that  he  resolved 
to  give  to  them  five  cents  every  time  he  should  tell  a  lie.  Both  soon 
corrected  themselves  of  lying.  Employ  similar  means ;  impose  upon 
yourselves  also  severe  penances,  if  not  in  money,  at  least,  in  mortifica- 
tion or  in  prayers ;  examine  your  conscience  every  evening  on  the 
subject  of  lying ;  accuse  yourselves  sincerely  in  your  confessions,  and 
be  sure  that  your  amendment  will  be  prompt  and  durable.     Amen. 


246  THIRD   PART.      XXXVI.    INSTRUCTION 

XXXVI.  INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Eighth  Commandment   (  Conf  d) 

On  Detraction  and  Calumny 

I.  To  CALUMNIATE  is  to  impute"  faults  to  another  which  he  has  not 
committed,  or  to  exaggerate  his  real  faults.  Detraction  is  revealing 
without  necessity  the  faults  or  defects  of  one's  neighbor.  The  differ- 
ence between  backbiting  or  detraction  and  calumny  is  that  in  detrac- 
tion the  evil  which  is  said  of  another  is  true,  and  in  calumny  it  is  not 
true. 

One  can  render  himself  guilty  of  the  sin  of  calumny  in  three  ways  : 
ist.  By  imputing  to  one's  neighbor  a  fault  of  which  one  knows  him 
to  be  innocent,  a  theft,  for  example  ;  or  when  one  attributes  to  him  a 
vice  which  he  has  not,  as  that  of  pride,  drunkenness,  or  covetous- 
ness. 

2d.  By  augmenting  the  real  faults  of  one's  neighbor.  If  some  one 
has  broken  his  promise  once  or  twice,  and  you  say  that  he  is  a  man  with- 
out honor  or  character  ;  or  if  he  has  committed  some  small  injustice  and 
you  make  him  pass  as  a  professional  thief;  if  he  is  somewhat  free  in 
his  talk  and  you  accuse  him  of  lewdness  and  debauchery — you  commit 
the  sin  of  calumny. 

3d.  By  interpreting  in  a  bad  way  the  good  actions  of  one's  neigh- 
bor or  accusing  him  of  evil  intentions.  If  a  person  is  very  charitable, 
and  gives  much  to  the  poor,  and  you  say  he  does  this  to  make  a  show  or 
perhaps  to  make  secret  restitution  of  evil-gotten  goods ;  if  a  young 
man,  in  order  to  avoid  the  occasions  of  sin,  never  enters  saloons,  and 
you  say  that  he  is  a  miser ;  if  a  person  is  very  pious  and  often  goes  to 
the  sacraments,  and  you  treat  him  as  a  hypocrite — you  are  guilty  of 
calumny,  and  of  the  blackest  of  calumny,  which  poisons  everything, 
which  misrepresents  everything,  which  changes  the  purest  virtues  into 
detestable  vices,  which  attacks  even  the  intention  when  it  cannot  criti- 
cize the  action. 

II.  One  renders  himself  guilty  of  detraction  in  five  ways  :    ist.  By 
-Tevealing,  without  necessity,  the  hidden  faults  or  crimes  of  one's  neigh- 
bor.    For  example,  you   know   that  one  of  your   neighbors  has  com- 
mitted a  theft,  that  a  girl  has   lost  her  virginity,  and  you  reveal  it  to 
people  that  do  not  know  anything  about  it.     You  know  that  a  certain 


ON   THE   EIGHTH    COMMANDMENT 


347 


person  who  wishes  to  get  married  has  a  bad  character,  that  he  is  sub- 
ject to  a  loathsome  disease  .  .  .  and  you  reveal  it  without  being 
in  any  manner  obliged  to  do  so  —  you  are  guilty  of  detraction. 

You  know  that  one  person  has  spoken  evil  of  another,  and  you  are 
impudent  enough  to  reveal  all  this  —  you  are  guilty  of  detraction,  but 
with  the  difference,  that  in  this  case  it  is  more  criminal,  on  account  of 
the  deplorable  consequences  which  tale-bearing  often  causes.  Ah! 
my  brethren,  if  we  see  so  much  disunion  and  strife  in  families  and 
among  neighbors,  is  not  tale-bearing  the  cause?  The  mania  for 
tale-bearing  is  the  mark  of  a  base  mind.  What  pleasure  can 
there  be  in  sowing  the  cockle  of  discord,  and  troubling  the  peace 
of  households,  awakening  desires  of  revenge  and  giving  rise  to  life- 
long feuds? 

2d.  By  denying  the  good  which  is  spoken  of  one's  neighbor.  If 
a  person  is  praised  in  your  presence,  if  his  virtues,  his  good  qualities, 
or  his  good  works  are  mentioned,  you  say  "Pshaw!  he  is  no  better  than 
anybody  else ;  this  is  all  talk,  if  you  knew  him  as  I  do  *  .  .  .  you 
are  guilty  of  detraction.  Wicked  and  jealous  being,  why  can  you  not 
bear  to  hear  your  neighbor  praised  ? 

3d.  When,  without  denying  altogether  the  good  which  is  said  of 
others,  you  diminish  or  weaken  the  praise,  by  adding  :  *'  But  we  must 
not  say  everything,  not  all  that  glitters  is  gold,**  etc. 

4th.  By  silence  when  others  are  well  spoken  of.  Such  an  affected 
and  malicious  silence  is  often  more  harmful  than  words.  While  others 
speak  favorably  of  one  of  your  neighbors,  and  you  who  are  present  and 
who  are  held  to  know  all,  say  nothing,  but,  on  the  contrary,  by  some 
signs  you  give  the  hearers  to  understand  that  the  praise  is  undeserved 
and  that,  on  the  contrary,  the  person  in  question  has  very  little  virtue 
.  .  .  by  this  affected  silence  you  may  do  more  harm  than  by  clearly 
explaining  yourselves. 

5th.  By  praising  another  only  weakly  or  half-heartedly.  **  He  is, 
indeed,  a  fine  young  man,**  you  say,  *  but  **  .  .  .  that  unhappy 
*  but  **  causes  suspicion  of  more  evil  than  all  the  good  you  may  say 
of  him. 

Detraction  is  sometimes  indirect,  and  often  takes  the  air  of  zeal  and 
piety  so  as  to  attack  more  securely.  Pretending  to  be  in  horror  over 
the  bad  conduct  of  his  neighbor,  a  person  tells  all  the  evil  possible  of 
him.  **  What  next!  What  a  wicked  world  we  live  in!  What  a  scan- 
dal!    What!    you    do    not    know   what    they  say   about  —  ?     It   is    a 


348 


THIRD   PART.      XXXVI.    INSTRUCTION 


wonder  that  the  Lord  still  bears  with  us!  .  .  .'*  And  thus,  while 
pretending  to  say  nothing,  we  reveal  the  gravest  disorders  and  spoil 
the  reputation  of  worthy  neighbors. 

Detraction  is,  perhaps,  the  most  common  vice  in  the  world.  No- 
body's reputation  is  secure.  There  is  no  crime,  no  matter  how  grave 
it  may  be,  which  does  not  sooner  or  later  become  known  to  all. 
Nothing  can  be  kept  secret.  Everyone  wishes  to  know  of  the  sins 
and  disorders  of  everyone  else.  And  what  is  still  worse,  if  nothing 
certain  is  known,  then  some  wicked  story  is  invented.  Go  into  certain 
companies  of  idle  men  and  women.  There  each  one  is  passed  in  re- 
view, without  regard  either  for  his  position,  or  for  his  dignity,  or  for 
his  character;  the  priest  is  no  more  spared  than  the  rest.  Everything 
must  be  criticized  and  censured.  There  are  as  many  tribunals  as  per- 
sons present,  and  everyone  thinks  he  has  the  right  to  judge  all  others, 
with  the  difference  that  here  it  is  ordinarily  without  proofs  and  with- 
out witnesses,  and  always  in  the  absence  of  the  accused  parties  who 
not  only  could  defend  themselves,  but  might  also  be  able  to  accuse 
their  very  accusers  of  still  greater  crimes. 

III.  Detraction  is,  however,  not  the  less  criminal  for  being  so 
common.  Holy  Scripture  says  that  detractors  are  hateful  to  God 
(Rom.  VI.  lo),  and  that  they  shall  never  possess  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
(James  iii.  6-8)  ;  and  to  detract  one' s  tieighbor  is  to  destroy  the  lavj 
itself  (iv.  ii). 

Need  we  be  astonished  that  the  Holy  Ghost  condemns  this  sin  so 
energetically,  for  is  there  any  sin  more  hateful  or  more  opposed  to  jus- 
tice and  charity?  To  rob  somebody  of  his  goods  is,  undoubtedly,  a 
great  crime ;  but  to  rob  one's  neighbor  of  his  honor,  his  reputation,  is 
a  still  greater  crime,  because,  as  Scripture  tells  us  :  A  good  name  is 
better  than  riches  (Prov.  xxii.  i). 

What  wrongs,  even  in  temporal  matters,  do  not  detraction  and 
calumny  often  cause,  by  robbing  our  neighbor  of  the  confidence  of  hon- 
est people,  depriving  him  of  his  customers,  and  causing  him  to  lose 
work !  Add  to  this  all  the  hatreds,  the  disputes,  the  divisions  which 
detraction  and  calumny  cause  between  parents  and  neighbors,  between 
people  of  the  same  trade  and  of  the  same  business,  for,  as  St.  James 
says  (hi.  5),  just  as  it  needs  only  a  spark  to  kindle  a  great  fire,  so, 
also,  sometimes  only  one  word  is  needed  to  raise  implacable  hatreds. 

What  motive,  my  brethren,  can  lead  you  to  commit  such  a  detesta- 
ble sin?     Do  you  find  any  advantage  in  blackening  your  neighbor's 


ON   THE   EIGHTH   COMMANDMENT 


349 


reputation ;  do  you  become  richer  thereby,  more  happy,  more  esteemed, 
after  you  have  thus  destroyed  the  honor  of  your  fellow-men,  and  caused 
incalculable  damage? 

Undoubtedly,  it  is  with  detraction  as  with  other  vices;  there  may  be, 
and  there  often  is,  lightness  of  matter,  but  detraction  is  a  grievous  sin 
by  its  very  nature.  The  gravity  of  the  sin  depends  upon  the  character 
and  position  of  the  person  who  is  detracted,  and  upon  the  number  of 
persons  who  hear  the  uncharitable  conversation.  Calumny  is  a  still 
more  grievous  sin,  because  it  attacks  the  neighbor  falsely,  and  because 
it  is  more  contrary  to  charity  and  justice. 

IV.  There  are,  however,  certain  cases  where  it  is  permitted  to  re- 
veal the  faults  of  others,  as  when  the  guilty  person  has  been  condemned 

An  the  court  of  justice,  or  if  his  fault  is  of  public  notoriety  and  the 
remembrance  of  it  is  not  effaced  by  the  lapse  of  time.  So,  also,  when 
the  public  good  or  charity  demands  this. 

Charity  sometimes  obliges  us  to  reveal  the  faults  of  others.  If  you 
know  that  a  great  scandal  or  a  great  disorder  is  to  occur  in  a  parish  or 
community,  you  should  inform  the  local  authorities.  If  you  know  that 
a  child  behaves  badly,  you  should  tell  his  parents.  If  you  know  that  a 
servant  is  unfaithful,  you  should  inform  his  master.  If  you  know  that 
a  young  man  entertains  suspicious  relations,  you  may,  and  sometimes 
must,  inform  his  pastor  or  his  confessor,  but  always  with  discretion 
and  prudence.  If  you,  yourself,  are  unjustly  accused,  you  may  without 
sin  reveal  the  name  of  the  guilty  party,  if  you  know  it. 

V.  Those  who  listen  to  detraction  and  calumny  commit  sin  as  well 
as  those  who  speak  it.  If  nobody  would  listen,  nobody  would  speak. 
St.  Bernard  even  goes  so  far  as  to  say  that  he  would  not  decide  who 
of  the  two  is  more  guilty,  the  one  who  detracts,  or  the  one  who  listens 
with  pleasure  to  detraction.  What,  therefore,  must  we  do  when  we 
find  ourselves  in  the  presence  of  detracting  tongues?  We  must,  as 
Holy  Scripture  says.  Hedge  our  ears  with  thorns  (Eccl.  xxviii.  28)  ; 
that  is,  we  must  not  listen,  but  should  leave  the  company  if  possible, 
or  at  least  show  by  our  cold  and  serious  manner  that  we  do  not  approve 
the  conversation.  There  are  even  circumstances  where  one  must  go 
further  and  openly  reprimand  those  who  carry  on  such  conversations, 
especially  if  they  are  inferiors,  children  or  servants.  But,  in  order  not 
to  expose  ourselves  to  the  danger  of  committing  sin,  the  wisest  part  is 
to  fly  all  company  where  detraction  reigns  and  where  the  reputation  of 
others  is  attacked. 


35© 


THIRD   PART.      XXXVI.    INSTRUCTION 


VI.  But  it  is  not  enough  to  confess  detraction  or  calumny,  it  must 
also  be  repaired.  It  is  like  the  sin  of  theft  :  the  sin  is  not  remitted, 
except  the  thing  is  restored.  How  many  there  are  who  deceive  them- 
selves in  this  regard!  And  how  many  confessions  are  badly  made, 
and  how  many  doubtful  conversions  on  account  of  detraction  and  cal- 
umny not  being  repaired!  I  admit,  reparation  is  often  very  difficult. 
You  launch  the  word,  it  goes  from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  how  can 
you  stop  its  progress?  You  have  applied  the  torch,  the  fire  has  broken 
out,  and  how  can  you  extinguish  it?  But  you  must  regain  for  your 
neighbor  as  far  as  possible  the  reputation  of  which  you  have  robbed 
him;  nothing  can  dispense  you  from  this  duty  of  justice.  Either  what 
you  have  said  is  true,  or  it  is  not  true.  If  it  is  true,  then,  of  course,  you 
cannot  say  that  it  is  not  true  ;  for  it  is  never  allowed  to  tell  a  lie.  You 
must  see  the  persons  to  whom  you  have  spoken  the  detraction,  and  ask 
them  not  to  mind  what  you  said,  because  you  were  imprudent,  and 
beg  them  not  to  repeat  it  to  others.  Moreover,  you  must  apply  your- 
self to  speak  favorably  of  those  w^hom  you  have  detracted,  in  order  to 
do  them  as  much  good  by  your  praise  as  you  might  have  done  them 
harm  by  your  detraction.  But  if  you  have  told  lies  about  your  neigh- 
bor, then  there  is  no  doubt  about  your  duty — you  must  make  a  prompt 
retraction,  and  you  must  make  it  to  all  those  who  heard  the  calumny. 
Do  not  allow  human  respect  to  hinder  you  ;  you  have  committed  the 
sin,  you  must  suffer  the  consequences.  Moreover,  if  the  calumny  has 
injured  a  person  in  his  temporal  goods,  you  are  obliged  to  repair  the 
damage. 

Such  difficulties  and  embarrassments  arising  out  of  detraction  and 
calumny,  we  cannot  be  too  careful  in  guarding  our  tongue,  as  the 
evil  caused  by  detraction  and  calumny  is  often  incalculable  and  irrepar- 
able. Make  it  your  rule  of  conduct  never  to  say  of  others  what  you 
would  not  like  others  to  say  of  you,  and  never  to  say  anything  in  the 
absence  of  any  one  which  you  would  not  dare  to  say  in  his  presence. 
Think  of  your  own  miseries,  of  your  own  faults  and  vicious  habits, 
and  remember  the  advice  of  our  Saviour,  to  cast  out  the  beam  that  is  in 
your  onvn  eye  before  removing  the  mote  from  the  eye  of  your  brother 
(Matt.  VII.  3).  If  I  were  asked  to  offer  to  some  a  human  motive, 
I  would  say :  Remember  that  if  you  criticize  others,  others  will 
criticize  you ;  if  you  blame  others,  others  will  blame  you.  You  are 
generally  treated  as  you  treat  others.  But  I  prefer  to  offer  you  a 
supernatural  motive :  Remember  the  account  which  you  shall  have  to 


ON  THE   EIGHTH   COMMANDMENT 


351 


render  some  day  to  God  for  so  many  uncharitable  words,  and  pray  to 
God  to  grant  to  you  the  grace  to  preserve  you  forever  from  this  vice, 
to  kindle  in  your  soul  the  ardent  charity  which  burned  within  His 
sacred  heart.     Amen. 


XXXVII.   INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Eighth  Commandment   (  Concluded) 

On  Flattery,  Rash  Judgment,  and   Violation  of  Secrecy 

To  COMPLETE  the  Eighth  Commandment,  there  remains  for  me  to 
speak  of  flattery,  rash  judgment,  and  the  violation  of  secrecy. 

I.  The  sin  of  flattery  consists  in  approving  the  praises  of  bad  ac- 
tions of  others.  The  wicked  man  everywhere  finds  cowardly  flatterers 
who  applaud  his  vices  and  who  are  not  ashamed  even  to  excuse  his 
most  criminal  actions.  If  one  wishes  to  please  a  rich  and  powerful 
man,  or  to  obtain  his  protection  or  an  employment  through  his  influ- 
ence, he  excuses  his  disorders  and  vices,  and  praises  his  indifference  in 
matters  of  religion  and  his  notorious  impiety.  There  are  persons  who 
laugh  at  the  excesses  and  disorders  of  libertines  and  drunkards.  To 
praise  a  careless  Catholic  because  he  does  not  go  to  confession,  or  be- 
cause he  observes  neither  fast  nor  abstinence,  is  to  encourage  him  to 
continue  this  life  of  indifference  and  impiety.  To  applaud  a  young 
man  for  his  excesses  of  drinking  or  debauchery,  or  a  young  girl  for 
the  excessive  vanity  in  dress  or  for  her  suspicious  relations,  is  to  au- 
thorize and  propagate  vice  ;  it  is  doing  the  work  of  the  devil,  and  push- 
ing others  to  their  ruin. 

Be  most  careful,  my  brethren,  never  to  approve  in  any  manner 
the  evil  actions  of  others.  On  the  contrary,  show  them  the  pain  you 
feel  on  account  of  their  crimes  and  disorders;  and  if  circumstances  do 
not  permit  you  to  express  your  disapprobation  in  word,  then  show  your 
displeasure  by  your  cold  and  serious  behavior,  and  leave  the  company 
as  soon  as  you  can. 

Flattery  is  not  always  a  grievous  sin.  The  gravity  of  the  sin  de- 
pends on  what  is  praised  and  on  the  danger  to  which  it  exposes  the 


252  THIRD   PART.      XXXVII.    INSTRUCTION  ** 

person  flattered.  But  you  sin  grievously  every  time  you  praise  some 
one  for  a  grievous  fault  which  he  proposes  to  commit,  or  which  he  has 
committed  already,  as  theft,  perjury,  or  adultery,  because  thereby  you 
put  him  in  the  evident  danger  to  fall  into  the  crime  or  to  remain  in  his 
sin  if  he  has  already  committed  it. 

II.  Rash  yudgtncnt. — To  judge  rashly  is  to  think  evil  of  another 
and  to  judge  him  guilty  of  sin,  without  sufficient  cause.  For  example, 
if  something  is  stolen  from  you,  and  without  reason,  or  without  the 
slightest  ground  of  proof,  you  believe  a  certain  person  to  be  guilty  of 
the  theft,  you  form  a  rash  judgment.  If  you  happen  to  surprise  some 
one  in  the  act  of  lying,  of  drunkenness,  or  immodesty,  and  you  judge 
that  he  is  an  habitual  liar,  drunkard,  or  libertine,  you  are  guilty  of  rash 
judgment.  Because  a  person  commits  a  fault  once  or  twice,  does  it 
follow  from  this  that  he  is  in  the  habit  of  committing  it  ?  From  the 
mere  appearance  or  physiognomy  of  a  man,  you  judge  that  he  is 
addicted  to  debauchery,  or  to  avarice,  to  anger,  or  to  dishonesty  —  all 
judgments  formed  on  such  insufficient  ground  are  rash. 

Do  not  confound  rash  judgments  with  doubts  and  suspicions.  A 
doubt  involves  no  act  of  judgment,  but  a  suspicion  does.  You  are 
guilty  of  rash  suspicion  when  on  slight  appearances  and  without  suffi- 
cient reasons  you  are  inclined  to  regard  a  person  as  guilty.  It  is  only 
a  venial  sin  to  give  one's  consent  to  doubts  or  rash  suspicions,  pro- 
vided that  these  doubts  and  suspicions  extend  only  to  venial  sins ;  but 
if  they  refer  to  grievous  faults,  the  judgment  and  suspicion  might 
become  also  grievous. 

As  to  rash  judgment,  the  sin  is  only  venial  if  the  matter  is  slight 
or  if  the  judgment  is  not  fully  deliberate ;  but  it  is  mortal  if  the 
matter  is  grave,  if  the  judgment  is  perfectly  voluntary  and  deliberate. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  exhorts  us  to  fly  rash  judgments  when  He 
says  :  Judge  not  that  you  may  not  be  Judged;  conde?nn  not,  and  you 
shall  not  be  condemned ;  for  -with  judgment  you  judge,  you  shall  be 
judged;  and  with  measure  you  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you 
again.  And  why  seest  thou  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother'' s  eye,  and 
seest  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thy  own  eye?  .  .  .  Thou  hypocrite, 
cast  out  jirst  the  beam  of  thy  own  eye,  and  then  shall  thou  see  to  cast 
out  the  mote  of  thy  brother'' s  eye  (Matt.  vii.  1—5). 

In  fact,  w^hat  right  have  we  to  judge  our  fellow-men  ?  Who  art 
thou  that  judgest  another  man'' s  servant,  says  St.  Paul  (Rom.  xiv.  4). 
Whether  he  falls  or    whether  he  remains  firm,   does  not   regard   us. 


ON   THE   EIGHTH   COMMANDMENT 


353 


Who  has  established  us  judges  of  his  conduct?  To  God  alone  belongs 
the  right  to  judge  men,  because  He  alone  can  know  the  secrets  of  their 
hearts  and  see  their  intentions. 

Hence,  we  must  never  judge  anybody.  Even  when  we  cannot 
excuse  the  action,  charity  requires  us  to  excuse  the  motives  if  pos- 
sible. Perhaps  the  accused  person  was  in  good  faith,  but  acted  with- 
out reflection.  Let  us  always  start  with  the  principle  that  we  must  do 
to  others  as  we  wish  others  to  do  to  us. 

The  wise  precautions  which  a  father  or  a  mother,  a  master  or  a 
mistress,  may  take  in  regard  to  their  children  or  their  domestics  to 
hinder  them  from  doing  evil,  must  not  be  reckoned  as  rash  judgments. 
They  are  obliged  to  watch  with  solicitude  over  the  conduct  of  those 
under  their  charge,  to  prevent  disorders,  and  they  must  foresee  the 
faults  which  might  be  committed,  in  order  to  prevent  them.  Far  from 
committing  sin,  it  is  a  duty  which  they  fulfill,  and  the  judgments 
which  they  pass  may  at  times  be  false,  but  they  are  not  rash  or  unjust. 

III.  Violation  of  Secrecy. — A  secret  is  something  known  only  by 
one  person,  or  by  a  small  number  of  persons.  There  are  two  kinds  of 
secrets :  the  natural  secret  and  the  conventional  secret.  Natural 
secrets  are  imposed  by  the  law  of  nature,  and  independent  of  all  pre- 
vious agreement ;  conventional  secrets  are  based  upon  an  explicit  or 
tacit  agreement ;  explicit  when  one  has  formally  promised  to  keep 
silence  about  the  secret  intrusted ;  tacit,  when  the  silence  is  required 
by  the  circumstances,  and  by  the  very  nature  of  the  thing  intrusted. 
Thus,  an  attorney-at-law,  a  notary  public,  a  confessor,  a  physician,  can 
not  tell  anything  of  what  has  been  communicated  to  them  by  those 
who  consult  them. 

The  violation  of  a  secret  is  sinful  on  account  of  the  anxiety  which 
it  causes  to  the  person  interested,  or  on  account  of  the  damage  done  to 
his  honor  and  goods,  or,  finally,  on  account  of  the  troubles  and  quarrels 
to  which  it  may  give  rise.  For  example,  if  you  have  served  as  a  witness 
to  a  will  which  is  made  in  secret,  and  you  make  known  its  dispositions, 
and  thus  bring  upon  the  testator  troubles  and  vexations,  and  the  re- 
proach and  hatred  of  those  who  expected  to  be  the  heirs,  you  commit 
a  grievous  sin.  If  a  wife  communicates  to  you  the  troubles  her  hus- 
band causes  her,  and  if  you  reveal  these  secrets  to  a  friend  or  a  neigh- 
bor, and  the  reports  spread  and  reach  the  ears  of  the  persons  inter- 
ested, are  you  not  responsible  for  all  the  evil  consequences?  If  a 
friend  tells  you  of  certain  projects  which  he  has  of  attempting  a 
23 


354 


THIRD   PART.      XXXVII.    INSTRUCTION 


certain  speculation,  or  of  making  a  certain  purchase,  and  you  divulge 
these  projects,  thus  giving  a  chance  to  others  to  anticipate  him,  and 
execute  the  plans  for  their  own  profit;  or  if  he  confides  to  you 
that  he  has  lost  a  receipt,  and  you  publish  it,  and  dishonest  dealers 
force  him  to  pay  a  second  time,  is  it  not  evident  that  you  are  obliged 
to  repair  all  the  damages  you  caused  by  such  imprudent  words? 

What  we  say  of  these  secrets  may  also  be  applied  to  letters.  Par- 
ents, indeed,  have  the  right  to  open  and  read  the  letters  addressed  to 
their  children  ;  the  directors  of  schools  can  control  the  correspondence 
of  their  scholars.  Prudence  requires  this,  and,  far  from  committing  sin, 
they  only  exercise  a  necessary  watchfulness  and  fulfill  a  rigorous  duty. 
But  aside  from  these  exceptions,  nobody  has  the  right  to  open  a  letter 
which  is  not  addressed  to  him,  and  it  is  a  grievous  sin  to  do  so,  at  least, 
if,  according  to  the  circumstances,  one  cannot  reasonably  judge  that 
the  letter  contains  nothing  of  importance.  The  sin  becomes  still 
greater  if  one. knows  beforehand  that  the  letter  contains  important 
matter,  and  if  one  has  the  intention  to  do  harm  with  the  knowledge 
thus  acquired.  Neither  is  it  permitted  to  read  unsealed  letters  which 
fall  by  chance  into  our  hands,  or  to  pick  up  and  unite  the  different 
parts  of  a  letter  that  has  been  torn  in  order  to  destroy  its  contents.  If 
you  have  had  the  indiscretion  to  read  another's  letter,  you  must  keep  it 
secret,  at  least  if  there  is  no  ground  to  presume  that  the  letter  has  been 
thrown  aside  as  of  no  consequence. 

Be  discreet,  my  brethren,  w^atch  over  your  words  in  order  never  to 
divulge  the  secrets  that  have  been  intrusted  to  you.  A  faithful  friend 
is  careful  to  keep  hidden  what  friendship  has  confided  to  him,  only 
knaves  reveals  secrets.  This  is  even  the  language  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture :  He  that  ivalkcth  deceitfully,  revealeth  secrets;  but  he  that  is 
faithful  concealeth  the  thing  committed  to  him  by  his  friend  (Prov. 
XI.  13).  Never  confide  your  secrets  to  any  one  except  when  there  is  a 
real  necessity  for  it ;  and  in  that  case,  select  for  your  confidant  a  sure 
man,  one  of  acknowledged  virtue  and  piety.  How  many  people  are 
there  who  cannot  keep  any  secret,  and  reveal  it  at  the  first  occasion! 
How  many  imprudent  friends,  or  those  having  only  the  appearance 
of  friendship,  who,  after  the  least  strife,  will  not  hesitate  to  betray 
you  ! 

I  shall  not  speak  of  the  last  two  Commandments  which  forbid  evil 
desires  :      Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor^ s  'xvifc.      Thou  shall  not 


ON  THE   EIGHTH   COMMANDMENT  ^55 

covet  thy  neighbor'' s  goods.    We  have  explained  them  sufficiently  under 
the  head  of  the  Sixth  and  Seventh  Commandments. 

Gknkral  Conclusion. — We  have  seen,  my  brethren,  the  law  of 
God  and  the  immense  extent  of  the  duties  which  it  imposes  upon  us. 
This  is  the  law  which  God  gave  to  Moses  upon  Mount  Sinai  nearly  four 
thousand  years  ago,  and  which  is  nothing  else  but  the  expression  of 
the  natural  law  which  had  been  engraved  in  the  heart  of  man  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world.  This  is  that  law  so  wonderful,  so  precise, 
and  so  grand,  which  neither  the  series  of  ages,  nor  differences  of  cli- 
mate, nor  various  characters  of  nations,  nor  revolutions,  have  ever 
changed  or  can  change. 

There  remains  for  me  only  to  encourage  you  to  practice  it  well. 
You  can  do  this,  because  the  Lord  who  is  our  Father,  and  the  best  of 
fathers,  never  commands  anything  impossible  to  you.  And  you  ought 
to  practice  it,  because  He  who  imposes  it  upon  you  is  your  sovereign 
Lord  and  Master,  and  because  on  the  observance  or  the  non-observance 
of  this  law  depends  your  eternal  salvation.  Observe  it  faithfully  and 
you  shall  be  happy,  eternally  happy ;  neglect  it  and  you  shall  be 
unhappy  for  all  eternity. 

But  how  ought  you  to  observe  it?  First,  with  love^  and  not  with 
pain  and  repugnance.  The  God  whom  you  serve  is  a  God  of  love,  and 
no  other  worship  can  be  agreeable  to  Him  except  the  worship  that 
comes  from  the  heart.  Second,  you  must  observe  it  entirely.  To 
violate  this  law  in  one  single  point  would  be  to  violate  it  in  all  parts  : 
Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  laiv^  but  offend  in  one  point,  is  be- 
come guilty  of  all  (  James  11.  10).  Therefore,  it  is  not  sufficient,  as 
many  people  maintain,  to  be  an  honest  man,  to  wrong  nobody ;  you 
must,  moreover,  practice  chastity,  according  to  your  state  of  life ;  you 
must  pray,  you  must  keep  the  Sunday  holy ;  in  a  word,  you  must  ob- 
serve the  whole  law.  This  is  the  answer  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  to 
the  young  man  who  asked  Him  what  he  had  to  do  to  be  saved  :  Tf 
thou -wilt  enter  into  life.,  keep  the  Commandments  (Matt,  xix.  17). 
Finally,  you  must  observe  it  constantly  and  to  the  very  end ;  for  only 
the  one  who  shall  persevere  to  the  end  shall  be  saved  (Matt.  xxiv.  13). 

How  happy  would  I  esteem  myself,  my  brethren,  to  have  been  able, 
in  the  course  of  these  instructions,  to  enlighten  your  minds  sufficiently 
on  the  duties  of  this  holy  and  adorable  law,  and  to  dispose  your  hearts  to 
observe  them  always  faithfully.    May  God  give  you  this  grace  !    Amen. 


3^6  THIRD   PART.       XXXVIII.    INSTRUCTION 

XXXVIII.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Commandments  of  the  Church 

I.  Before  entering  into  the  explanation  of  the  Commandments  of 
the  Church  I  shall  briefly  show  that  the  Church  has  really  the  power 
to  impose  laws  upon  us.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  her  divine  founder, 
formally  invested  her  with  this  power,  when  He  said  to  His  apostles 
and,  in  their  person,  to  all  the  bishops,  their  successors:  Whatsoever 
you  shall  bind  upon  earth,  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven;  and  whatso- 
ever you  shall  loose  upon  earth  shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven.  The 
power  of  binding  consciences  evidently  implies  the  power  of  imposing 
laws.  Our  Saviour  expressed  Himself  not  less  clearly  and  energetically 
when  He  also  said  to  His  apostles  :  He  that  heareth  you,  heareth  me; 
and  he  that  despiseth  you  despiseth  me  (Luke  x.  i6)  ;  or  again  :  He 
tvho  will  not  hear  the  Church,  let  him  be  to  thee  as  the  heathen  and 
publican   (Matt,  xviii.  17). 

In  every  well-organized  society  must  there  not  be  an  authority 
which  has  the  power  to  make  laws  and  execute  them?  And  if  no 
authority  did  exist,  would  not  society  soon  fall  into  anarchy?  The 
Church  is  an  immense  society,  spread  all  over  the  world ;  she  begets 
.us  to  faith,  in  regenerating  us  in  the  waters  of  baptism ;  she  teaches 
us  the  doctrine  of  the  Saviour,  its  morals,  its  dogmas,  and  its  mysteries  ; 
she  nourishes  us  with  the  eucharistic  bread  and  with  all  the  graces 
which  the  Sacraments  confer  upon  us ;  she  forms  a  vast  body  united 
in  the  oneness  of  faith,  in  the  use  of  the  same  sacraments,  and  in  the 
observance  of  the  same  laws.  Therefore,  there  must  be  in  the  Church 
an  authority  which  has  the  pow^er  to  make  us  observe  the  divine  laws 
of  which  she  is  the  depository,  to  direct  consciences,  to  establish  and 
preserve  good  order,  and  which,  consequently,  can  make  laws  to  which 
all  the  faithful  are  obliged  to  submit. 

From  the  very  beginning  down  to  the  present  day,  the  Church  has 
never  ceased  to  make  use  of  this  supreme  power  which  Jesus  Christ 
gave  her.  She  has  always  made  regulations  according  to  the  need  of 
circumstances,  fixed  the  liturgy,  established  laws  concerning  morals 
and  discipline,  imposed  upon  sinners  severe  penances,  and  even  cut 
them  off  from  her  communion  if  they  proved  incorrigible. 

It  is,  therefore,  an  incontestable  fact,  that  the  Church  has  received 
the  power  to  impose  laws  upon  her  children,  and  that  these  laws  bind 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH 


357 


under  pain  of  mortal  sin,  as  do  the  laws  of  God  Himself  :  He  ivho  de- 
spises you,  despises  me;  and,  as  St.  Cyprian  says  :  He  ca?tnot  have  God 
for  his  father,  who  does  not  acknouoledge  the  Church  as  his  mother. 

II,  The  Commandments  of  the  Church  are: — 
I  St.  To  hear  Mass  on  Sunday  and  holy  days. 

2d.  To  fast  and  to  abstain  on  the  days  commanded. 

3d.  To  go  to  confession  at  least  once  a  year. 

4th.  To  receive  the  Holy  Eucharist  during  Easter  time. 

5th.  To  contribute  to  the  support  of  our  pastors. 

6th.  To  observe  the  regulations  of  the  Church  concerning  matri- 
mony. 

The  First  Commandment  obliges  us  to  sanctify  the  Sundays  and 
holy  days.  The  holy  days  in  our  country  are  :  The  Feast  of  the  Immac- 
ulate Conception,  Christmas,  Circumcision  of  our  Lord,  Ascension, 
the  Assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  All  Saints  Day.  It  is  not 
my  intention  to  inquire  into  the  origin  or  the  object  of  these  holy  days, 
and  as  the  sanctification  of  these  holy  days  is  absolutely  the  same  as  that 
of  Sunday,  I  need  not  explain  it  any  further. 

III.  The  Second  Commandment  of  the  Church  is  :  To  fast  and  to 
abstain  on  the  days  commanded. 

This  Commandment  obliges  us  to  fast  during  Lent,  on  the  Ember 
days  and  on  the  vigils  or  eves  of  certain  holy  days.  Lent  includes  the 
forty  days,  Sundays  excepted,  which  precede  the  feast  of  Easter.  This 
is  the  principal  fast  of  Christians,  and  dates  from  the  very  beginning 
of  the  Church.  The  Fathers  of  the  Church  teach  us  that  it  was  insti- 
tuted by  the  Apostles  themselves.  The  reason  the  Church  instituted 
it  was  to  imitate  the  fast  of  forty  days  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  desert,  to 
expiate  our  sins  by  penance,  and  to  prepare  us  for  the  spiritual  resur- 
rection of  Easter  Sunday. 

Ember  days  are  the  three  days  of  fast  which  the  Church  prescribes 
at  the  commencement  of  each  season  of  the  year.  St.  Leo  teaches  that, 
like  Lent,  they  are  of  apostolic  tradition.  They  remind  us  that  there 
is  no  time  of  the  year  which  we  ought  not  to  consecrate  to  the  Lord 
by  good  works,  and  give  us  an  occasion  to  pray  for  the  preservation  of 
the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and,  finally,  to  beg  God  for  His  blessing  upon 
the  ordination  of  the  ecclesiastics  which  takes  place  during  the  Ember 
days. 

Vigils,  or  eves,  are  days  which  precede  the  principal  feasts  of  the 
year.     They  are  so  called  because  in  the  first  centuries  of  the  Church 


358 


THIRD   PART.       XXXVIII.    INSTRUCTION 


the  vigils  were  spent  in  praising  God,  chanting  Psalms,  and  reading 
the  Holy  Scripture.  The  vigils  are  no  longer  so  strictly  kept,  but  the 
Church  commands  us  to  fast,  in  order  to  prepare  ourselves  for  the 
solemnity  of  the  day  following.  The  vigils  on  which  fast  is  of  precept 
are  those  of  Christmas,  Easter,  Pentecost,  Assumption,  and  All  Saints 
Day. 

The  Second  Commandment  of  the  Church  also  obliges  us  to  abstain 
from  flesh-meat  on  Fridays,  on  certain  days  of  Lent,  on  the  Ember 
days,  and  on  the  vigils  of  certain  feasts.  All  these  regulations  date 
from  apostolic  times  and  oblige  under  mortal  sin. 

Every  person  who  has  attained  the  use  of  reason  is  obliged  to  ab- 
stain from  flesh-meat  on  the  days  commanded  unless  legitimate  reasons 
dispense  from  it,  and  parents  would  sin  grievously  if,  on  prohibited 
days,  they  should  offer  flesh-meat  to  their  children,  after  they  have 
reached  the  age  of  seven  years. 

IV.  Abstinence  from  certain  foods  has  always  been  practiced,  and 
dates  back  to  the  origin  of  the  world.  At  all  times  men  have  been 
condemned  to  abstain  from  a  certain  kind  of  nourishment.  In  the 
earthly  paradise,  our  first  parents  were  forbidden  to  eat  the  fruit  of 
the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  Under  the  law  of  Moses  the 
Jews  were  forbidden  to  eat  the  flesh  of  certain  animals  termed  unclean. 
In  the  beginning  of  Christianity,  the  apostles  assembled  in  the  Council 
of  Jerusalem  commanded  the  faithful  to  abstain  from  blood  and  from 
animals  suffocated,  and  we  see  in  the  Gospel  that  our  Saviour  publicly 
praised  St.  John  the  Baptist  for  having  lived  on  grasshoppers  and 
wild  honey. 

The  custom  of  abstaining  from  certain  foods  through  mortification, 
is  therefore  not  new,  and  the  Church,  in  imposing  this  obligation 
upon  us,  has  followed  the  examples  of  which  we  read  in  Holy  Scrip- 
ture. 

It  would  be  a  great  error  to  believe  that  the  custom  of  eating  flesh- 
meat  is  absolutely  necessary  for  man,  and  that  the  privation  of  this 
nourishment  is  detrimental  to  health.  Up  to  the  time  of  the  Deluge, 
that  is,  during  sixteen  centuries,  mankind  abstained  from  flesh-meat. 
Although  the  use  of  meat  is  permitted  and  has  spread  everywhere, 
there  are,  nevertheless,  many  people  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  espe- 
cially in  warm  climates,  who  do  not  eat  meat.  In  Europe  there  are 
many  who  work  hard,  and  who  eat  flesh-meat  very  seldom,  hardly  once 
or  twice  a  week,  but  still  they  are  strong,  robust,  and  vigorous. 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH         ^59 

Abstinence,  such  as  the  Church  prescribes,  far  from  injuring  the 
health,  can  be  only  advantageous  to  it.  A  simple  and  vegetable  diet 
purifies  the  blood  and  preserves  from  those  acute  illnesses  which  are 
only  too  often  occasioned  by  a  food  that  is  too  nourishing  and  too 
heating.  The  Holy  Ghost  says  that  the  man  who  is  a  friend  of  tem- 
perance and  abstinence  shall  prolong  life  (Eccl.  xxxvii.  34).  St. 
Jerome  says  that  abstinence  is  the  mother  of  health.  Experience 
proves  this  truth.  Among  the  hermits  of  the  Thebaid  and  even  often 
in  our  most  austere  cloisters,  what  robust  health,  what  longevity  ! 
St.  Paul,  the  first  hermit,  drank  only  water  and  ate  only  a  small  loaf 
of  bread  every  day,  yet  he  lived  to  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  thirteen 
years.  .  A  great  number  of  hermits,  whose  names  Church  history  has 
preserved  to  us,  reached  to  an  old  age  seldom  attained  nowadays.  It 
is  related  of  a  French  princess,  daughter  of  King  Louis  XV.,  that  hav- 
ing entered  a  convent  of  Carmelites,  where  the  austerities  are  so  great, 
where  lard  is  never  used  in  preparing  food,  and  where  the  fast  is 
almost  continual,  her  health  was,  nevertheless,  much  better  than  at  court 
where  she  was  always  ill. 

V.  The  Church  was  not,  therefore,  cruel  in  instituting  the  law  of 
abstinence.  On  the  contrary,  she  acted  only  by  the  guidance  of  Provi- 
dence and  in  the  interest  of  our  poor  human  nature.  Even  those  who 
protest  against  fasting  and  abstinence,  and  who  acknowledge  neither 
Friday  nor  Lent,  are  often  the  first  to  have  Lenten  food  served  at  their 
table  and  to  impose  upon  themselves  severe  but  forced  privations 
for  the  good  of  their  health. 

But  the  Church  in  establishing  the  law  of  abstinence  has  much 
nobler  and  much  more  elevated  views  than  the  care  of  the  corporal 
health.  She  intends  first  to  make  us  honor  by  mortification  the  great 
mysteries  of  our  holy  religion,  for  instance,  on  Friday,  the  death  and 
burial  of  Jesus  Christ.  She  wishes  to  cool  the  ardor  of  the  passions,  to 
weaken  concupiscence  or  the  inclination  towards  evil,  to  render  our 
life  more  comformable  to  that  of  Jesus,  to  make  us  expiate  our  faults 
through  penance,  and  thus  to  incline  to  meditation,  prayer,  and  more 
particularly  to  mortification. 

Will  you  then  dare  to  say  that  the  law  of  abstinence  is  not  a  wise 
and  wholesome  law  ?  Will  you  hesitate  to  submit  yourselves  to  it  ?  It 
is  with  this  law  as  with  those  which  oblige  you  to  attendance  at  Mass 
on  Sundays  and  holy  days,  to  annual  confession  and  Easter  commun- 
ion ;  you  cannot  be  true  children  of  the  Church  if  you  do  not  observe 
it  faithfully. 


360 


THIRD   PART.       XXXVIII.    INSTRUCTION 


But  you  will  tell  me  :  "  I  am  sick,  or  only  regaining  my  health,  or 
my  constitution  is  too  weak.**  If  your  indisposition  is"  only  slight, 
undoubtedly  you  are  not  permitted  to  eat  meat  on  forbidden  days  ;  but 
you  can  dispense  with  the  law  of  fasting  and  abstinence,  if  your  illness 
is  grave,  and  if  in  good  faith  you  can  say  that  Lenten  food  w^ould  be 
hurtful  to  you.  If  the  matter  is  evident,  you  do  not  need  permission; 
if  there  is  doubt,  you  must  be  authorized  by  your  pastor  or  confessor. 

**  But  what  should  I  do  when  traveling,  or  in  restaurants,  in  hotels, 
where  only  meat  is  the  main  part  of  the  meal  ?  **  You  must  ask  for 
Lenten  food  and  insist  thereon.  Hotel  keepers  are,  as  a  rule,  very  will- 
ing to  serve  whatever  is  asked  for.  Certainly,  there  are  some  who 
trouble  themselves  little  about  this  matter,  and  do  not  care  about  the 
law^  of  abstinence.  But  then  go  and  take  your  meals  elsewhere; 
if  you  cannot  do  so  you  may  use  flesh-meat  once  or  tw^ice. 

You  may  make  the  very  ordinary  excuse  :  ^^  I  am  a  common  laborer, 
a  tradesman.  I  have  to  make  my  living  in  working  for  Protestants  as 
for  Catholics.  Now,  verj^  often  non-Catholics  do  not  offer  anything 
but  flesh-meat,  and  I  do  not  dare  to  ask  them  for  Lenten  food.**  But 
w^hy  do  you  not  dare?  It  is  fear  and  human  respect  which  moves  you 
to  transgress  the  law  of  the  Church.  But  do  you  really  believe  that 
this  will  excuse  you?  What!  because  people  might  laugh  at  you,  be- 
cause they  might  ridicule  the  Catholic  practice,  you  are  willing  to 
betray  your  duties,  to  offend  God  in  violating  the  laws  of  the  Church ! 
But,  apart  from  the  religious  sentiments,  is  such  conduct  worthy  of  a 
man  of  character,  of  firmness  and  dignity  ?  Is  it  not  the  most  shame- 
ful of  all  weaknesses  ?  Non-Catholics  **  do  not  offer  anything  but  flesh 
meat,**  you  say.  But  why  do  you  not  ask  them  for  something  else? 
Why  do  you  not  tell  them  :  "  I  am  a  Catholic,  and  my  Church  forbids 
me  to  eat  flesh-meat  to-day.  Certainly,  they  would  willingly  furnish, 
you  with  Lenten  food;  and  instead  of  laughing  at  you,  they  would 
esteem  you  so  much  more  for  your  fidelity  to  your  Church.  No  re- 
spectable person  will  laugh  at  you  for  being  faithful  to  the  laws  of 
your  Church,   and  you  need  not  mind  what  vulgar  persons  say. 

The  Old  Testament  furnishes  a  glorious  example  of  fidelity  to  the 
law  of  abstinence  in  the  history  of  Eleazar.  This  holy  old  man  re- 
fused to  eat  the  meat  which  the  law  of  Moses  prohibited,  and  was 
condemned  to  death  by  King  Antiochus.  The  friends  of  Eleazar 
advised  him  to  submit,  at  least  in  appearance,  to  the  orders  of  the 
tyrant,  in  order  to  save  his  life.  But  the  holy  old  man  answered: 
"  Do  you  believe  that  I  am  so  attached  to  the  few  days  of  life  left  to 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH         ^61 

me  that  I  should  prefer  them  to  what  I  owe  to  God?  And  even  if 
through  this  cowardly  complacency  I  should  escape  the  fury  of  the 
tyrant,  would  I  escape  the  vengeance  of  the  One  who  shall  judge  me 
at  the  last  day?  No,  no,  I  choose  rather  to  die  than  to  dishonor  my 
religion,  and  it  shall  not  be  said  that  at  the  age  of  ninety  years  I  aban- 
doned the  law  of  God,  and  that  I  became  a  scandal  to  my  posterity.** 
Thereupon  he  was  led  to  execution. 

Imitate  this  noble  example,  and  observe  faithfully  the  law  of  ab- 
stinence. What  precious  advantages  will  you  not  find  therein!  You 
will  mortify  the  passions  which  drag  you  down  to  so  many  sins,  you 
will  expiate  your  sins,  you  will  teach  your  children  to  be  respectful 
and  obedient  towards  God ;  for  has  He  not  said  in  speaking  of  His 
Church  :  Whosoever  hears  you,  hears  me;  whosoever  despises  you,  de- 
spises me;  and  you  will  merit  the  reward  promised  to  the  obedient 
and  faithful  servant.     Amen. 


XXXIX.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Second  Commandment  of  the  Church  ( Confd) 


On  Fasting 


I.  TTie  Fast. — The  fast  is  to  abstain  from  certain  food,  for  a  motive 
of  religion,  for  a  determined  time.  As  ordained  by  the  Church  fasting 
consists  of  three  things  :  To  abstain  from  flesh-meat,  to  take  only  one 
full  meal,  and  to  take  it  at  a  certain  hour  of  the  day. 

First,  abstinence  from  flesh-meat  is,  therefore,  the  first  condition  of 
fasting.  By  flesh-meat  we  mean  flesh  from  animals,  except  those  liv- 
ing in  water.  Not  only  must  we  abstain  from  flesh-meat,  but  also 
from  all  that  is  derived  from  flesh-meat,  such  as  blood,  the  juice,  mar- 
row, and  lard.  These  kind  of  nourishments  cannot  be  used  without 
special  permission.  As  to  the  amphibious  animals  which  live  partly 
in  water  and  partly  on  land,  such  as  the  moor-hens,  otters,  marsh- 
crows,  and  other  similar  ones,  it  is  not  easy  to  determine  whether  they 
are  permitted  or  not.     Generally,  on  days  of  abstinence,  only  those 


362 


THIRD   PART.      XXXIX.    INSTRUCTION 


animals  having  little  blood,  or  cold  blood,  as  the  fishes,  are  allowed  to 
be  eaten.  In  case  of  doubt  it  is  best  to  abstain.  For  some  years  past, 
in  a  large  number  of  dioceses,  the  bishops,  by  virtue  of  indults  of  the 
sovereign  pontiff,  have  granted  permission  to  eat  flesh-meat  during 
Lent  on  certain  days  of  the  week.  This  must  not  astonish  us,  because 
the  one  \vho  has  made  the  law  can  also  dispense  from  it.  But  we 
must  not  forget  that  this  permission,  as  a  rule,  is  granted  only  under 
the  condition  that  an  alms  be  given,  if  possible,  or  that  certain  prayers 
be  said,  and  that  on  the  days  of  fast  when  meat  is  allowed,  fish  and  flesh 
must  not  be  served  at  the  same  meal.  However,  by  a  special  dispensa- 
tion from  the  Holy  See,  those  who  are  not  obliged  to  fast  may  eat  meat, 
on  the  days  when  it  is  allowed,  several  times  a  day.  This,  at  least,  is 
the  permission  granted  to  many  dioceses  in  the  United  States. 

The  second  condition  of  fasting  is  to  take  only  one  full  meal  a  day. 
At  this  meal  one  may  take  all  that  is  necessary  for  the  support  of  the 
body.  The  rules  of  temperance  must  be  observed,  and  this  meal  must 
not  be  interrupted  by  a  long  interval,  at  least  without  good  reasons, 
nor  must  it  be  too  much  prolonged,  two  hours  for  example. 

However,  besides  the  one  full  meal,  custom  allows  a  slight  colla- 
tion about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening;  also,  a  small  piece  of  bread  or  a 
cracker,  with  a  cup  of  coffee,  or  chocolate,  is  allowed  in  the  morning. 

At  the  evening  collation,  flesh-meat  cannot  be  taken,  nor  anything 
prepared  with  lard.  But  in  many  dioceses  of  the  United  States  fish, 
milk,  butter,  as  well  as  vegetables  prepared  with  butter  or  milk,  are 
allowed.  The  Lenten  Regulations,  which  are  published  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Lenten  season,  are  the  surest  guide.  In  regard  to  the 
quantity  of  food  to  be  taken  at  the  collation,  it  is  generally  agreed  that 
it  should  not  be  more  than  one-fourth  of  an  ordinary  meal,  not  count- 
ing the  drink.  A  general  rule  on  this  point  can  hardly  be  made;  but 
the  strength  of  each  person,  and  the  kind  of  work  in  which  he  is 
employed,  should  be  taken  into  consideration. 

To  eat  outside  of  the  full  meal,  or  of  the  collation,  is  breaking  the 
fast  more  or  less.  Theologians  generally  agree  that  it  would  be  a 
mortal  sin  to  take  at  one  time,  or  at  separate  times  together,  the  equiv- 
alent of  a  collation. 

The  third  condition  of  fasting  is  to  take  the  full  meal  at  a  certain 
hour  of  the  day.  In  the  first  centuries  of  the  Church  this  meal  was 
taken  only  towards  the  evening,  or  about  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon.    This  custom  lasted  until  the  thirteenth  centurv.     Then  the  full 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH 


363 


meal  began  to  be  taken  at  noon,  and  the  collation  in  the  evening. 
About  the  fifteenth  century  the  Church  sanctioned  this  custom  and 
regulated  the  manner  of  fasting.  But  to-day  the  custom  allows  us  to 
take  dinner  a  little  before  noon,  that  is  after  eleven  o'clock.  It  would 
be  sinful  to  take  it  any  sooner  without  good  reasons.  To  take  the  full 
meal  two  hours  before  noon  might  constitute  a  grievous  sin.  It  is  not 
even  lawful,  without  good  reason,  to  change  the  order  of  meals,  and 
make  a  collation  in  the  morning,  in  order  to  defer  the  meal  until 
evening. 

II.  Why  does  the  Church  prescribe  fasting?  First,  to  give  us  an 
efficacious  remedy  to  weaken  and  subdue  our  passions.  We  are  all  sub- 
ject to  concupiscence,  that  is,  we  have  within  us  a  great  inclination 
towards  evil.  This  inclination  increases  in  the  same  measure  as  our 
body  is  nourished.  Therefore,  the  means  to  combat  and  to  reduce  our 
evil  inclinations  is  to  chastise  our  body  and  to  mortify  ourselves  through 
privations  and  penance. 

To  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  Church,  our  good  mother,  it  is  not 
sufficient  merely  to  mortify  the  body  by  retrenching  some  of  the  nour- 
ishment, but  we  must  also  mortify  the  spirit  by  occupying  it  with 
wholesome  thoughts ;  the  heart,  by  promptly  removing  all  evil  desires, 
and  the  senses,  by  denying  them  whatever  flatters  them,  as  idle  dis- 
courses, prolonged  sleep,  noisy  or  passionate  amusements.  This  is 
what  the  Church  recommends  to  us  in  the  hymn  of  Lent :  Utamur 
ergo  parcius  verbis,  cibis  et  potibus,  somno,  Jocis,  et  arctius  perstemus 
in  custodia. 

Second,  the  Church,  by  the  law  of  fasting,  intends  to  prepare  us 
for  prayer.  In  fact,  says  St.  John  Chrysostom,  fasting  is  the  nourish- 
ment of  the  soul,  it  gives  it  wings  to  raise  itself  to  heaven  and  con- 
template the  divine  perfections.  This  is  what  we  experience  every 
day,  for  whilst  excesses  in  eating  and  drinking  weigh  down  the  spirit 
in  such  a  manner  that  it  is  hardly  capable  of  noble  thought,  mortifica- 
tion, on  the  contrary,  elevates  it,  arouses  it,  inflames  it,  and  renders  it 
capable  of  the  purest  sentiments  and  the  most  salutary  thoughts  and 
meditations.  This  is  why  God  required  Moses  to  fast  for  forty  days 
before  appearing  before  Him  upon  Mount  Sinai  to  receive  there  the  in- 
structions necessary  for  the  guidance  of  His  people.  So,  also,  it  was 
only  after  three  weeks  of  continual  fast  that  Daniel  learned  from  God 
the  time  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  and  the  circumstances  of  His 
life  and  death. 


364 


THIRD   PART.      XXXIX.    INSTRUCTION 


Finally,  the  Church  commands  fasting  in  order  to  expiate  our  sins, 
and  to  prepare  us  to  obtain  the  necessary  graces.  Nothing  proves 
better  the  benefits  of  fasting  than  the  examples  which  we  find  in  Holy 
Scripture.  The  children  of  Israel  having  displeased  God  by  great 
crimes,  the  Philistines  guided  by  His  invisible  hand  fell  upon  them 
to  take  revenge.  The  Israelites  had  recourse  to  fasting  and  prayer,  and 
the  Lord  was  appeased  and  gave  them  the  victory  over  their  enemies. 
Achab,  the  most  wicked  of  men,  was  threatened  by  God  with  the 
most  dreadful  chastisements  if  he  did  not  do  penance.  The  wicked 
prince  covered  himself  with  sackcloth,  and  fasted,  and  the  Lord  revoked 
the  judgment  pronounced  against  him.  Nineveh  was  admonished  by 
the  prophet  Jonas  that  within  three  days  it  should  be  destroyed.  The 
Ninevites  had  recourse  to  fasts,  and  they  were  preserved  from  ruin. 

Fasting  not  only  expiates  sin,  but  also  obtains  from  God  the  graces 
and  benefits  necessary  for  us.  It  was  through  fasting  that  Anna 
obtained  her  child  Samuel ;  it  was  through  fasting  that  Sara  was 
delivered  from  the  devil ;  '  it  was  through  fasting  that  the  saints 
merited  the  gift  of  prophecy  and  miracles,  and  raised  themselves  to 
such  eminent  sanctity.  It  was  through  fasting  and  prayer  that  whole 
cities  and  nations  were  often  delivered  from  pest  and  other  plagues. 

How  blind  and  senseless  are,  therefore,  those  bad  Christians  who 
complain  of  this  holy  law  !  Is  not  a  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ  a  disciple 
of  the  cross,  and  must  not  his  life  be  a  life  of  mortification  and 
penance  ?  On  considering  the  fearful  privations  and  austerities  which 
the  saints  imposed  upon  themselves,  how  can  we  expect  to  reach  heaven 
by  indolence  and  pleasure.'' 

III.  The  Church  is  a  tender  mother  who  does  not  wish  to  impose 
burdens  upon  us  above  our  strength,  and  there  are,  therefore,  reasons 
which  may  dispense  from  the  law  of  fasting.  The  first  is,  moral  im- 
possibility on  account  of  the  weakness  of  youth  or  of  old  age,  or  on 
account  of  some  illness  or  grave  inconvenience. 

The  Weakness  of  Age, — A  person  is  not  bound  to  fast  who  has  not 
attained  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  However,  young  people  should 
be  encouraged  not  to  wait  until  the  age  of  twenty-one  before  com- 
mencing to  practice  mortification  of  some  kind. 

The  Weakness  of  Old  Age. — Old  people  are  dispensed  from  fast- 
ing when  they  are  in  such  a  state  of  weakness  and  debility  that  they 
can  no  longer  fast  without  serious  inconvenience,  generally  at  the  age 
of  sixty  or  seventy  years. 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH 


365 


Illness. —  Not  only  those  who  are  sick  in  bed,  but  also  the  infirm, 
convalescents,  and  generally  all  those  who  have  such  a  weak  constitu- 
tion that  they  cannot  fast  without  serious  injury  to  their  health,  are 
excused  from  fasting. 

Finally,  those  -who  cannot  fast  without  serious  inconvenience. 
Nurses,  pregnant  women,  persons  to  whom  fasting  causes  great  head- 
ache and  stomach  troubles,  and,  generally,  all  those  who  are  so  poor 
that  they  have  not  even  what  is  necessary  for  one  full  meal  per  day, 
are  dispensed  from  the  fasts  of  the  Church. 

The  second  reason  which  dispenses  from  fast  is  labor.  Not,  indeed, 
all  kinds  of  labor,  but  hard  and  painful  labor  which  is  incompatible 
with  fasting,  as  that  of  farmers,  miners,  carpenters,  masons,  black- 
smiths, and  other  like  tradesmen.  This  kind  of  labor  dispenses  from 
fasting  if  it  lasts  the  whole  day,  or  at  least  a  great  part  of  the  day;  but 
not  when  it  lasts  only  a  few  hours.  As  to  the  less  laborious  trades, 
such  as  shoemaking,  weaving,  tailoring,  it  is  somewhat  doubtful,  and 
it  belongs  to  the  confessor  to  decide. 

The  third  reason  which  dispenses  from  fasting  is  traveling:  This 
refers  to  travels  made  on  foot,  which  take  up  the  greater  part  of  the 
day  and  which  are  necessary.  A  walk  of  a  few  hours,  or  hunting  part- 
ies which  are  undertaken  merely  for  amusement,  do  not  dispense  from 
fasting.  As  to  the  journeys  one  makes  on  horseback  or  in  a  vehicle  or 
by  rail,  n(^ixed  rule  can  be  established  ;  each  one  must  consult  his  own 
strength  as  it  is  only  the  fatigue  which  decides. 

The  fourth  and  last  reason  for  dispensation  from  fasting,  is  piety  or 
the  obligation  to  do  a  good  work  which  is  incompatible  with  fasting, 
as  when  a  nurse  attends  a  sick  person  day  and  night.  Charity  goes 
before  all,  and  in  this  and  similar  cases  fasting  would  be  really  almost 
impossible. 

IV.  These  are  the  reasons  which  dispense  from  fasting.  If  the 
existence  of  a  good  reason  is  undoubted,  everyone  can  exempt  himself 
from  the  law;  but  if  the  reason  is  not  evident,  the  parish  priest  or  one's 
confessor  should  be  consulted.  Be  careful  not  to  deceive  yourselves, 
and  to  rank  mere  pretexts  among  lawful  reasons.  In  doubtful  situa- 
tions, the  reasons  must  be  weighed  and  decision  taken  with  Christian 
uprightness  and  sincerity.  If  a  person  cannot  pay  the  entire  debt,  he 
is  still  obliged  to  pay  all  that  he  can.  If  you  cannot  fast  every  day  of 
the  week,  but  can  fast  three  or  four  days,  you  must  do  so.  If  you  can- 
not fast  the  whole  day,  you  must  fast  half  the  day.     If  you  cannot  fast 


366 


THIRD   PART.      XL.    INSTRUCTION 


and  abstain  at  the  same  time,  but  can  do  the  one  or  the  other,  you 
must  either  fast  or  abstain. 

Those  persons  who  cannot  in  any  way  fulfill  the  law  of  fasting 
either  on  account  of  the  weakness  of  health,  or  on  account  of  hard 
work,  should  compensate  for  the  fast  by  prayer,  alms-giving,  or  other 
good  works.  Let  the  sick  offer  up  their  sufferings  in  expiation  for 
their  sins.  Let  those  whose  health  is  weak  compensate  for  the  fast  by 
charitable  works.  Let  the  laborer  offer  to  God  his  day's  work  in  a 
spirit  of  penance. 

And  you,  whom  no  legitimate  reason  hinders  from  fasting,  obey  the 
law  of  the  Church,  our  good  and  holy  mother  ;  to  disobey  her  is  to  dis- 
obey God  Himself.  Let  no  pretext  hinder  you  from  fasting  if  you  are 
able  to  fast.  Fast  in  union  with  Jesus  Christ  in  the  desert  and  with 
all  the  holy  souls  in  the  world.  Fast,  not  only  because  the  Church 
commands  you,  but  because,  being  sinners,  you  are  in  need  of  penance. 
Do  not  content  yourselves  with  making  your  body  fast,  but  make  your 
soul  fast  by  avoiding  sin.  Purify  yourselves  from  the  faults  which 
you  have  already  committed  by  a  good  and  sincere  confession.  It  is 
thus  that  you  will  pay  your  debts  to  the  justice  of  God  and  merit  the 
reward  which  God  has  promised  to  pious  and  mortified  souls.     Amen. 


XL.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Third  and  Fourth  Commandments  of  the  Church 

I.  The  Third  Commandment  of  the  Church  is  to  confess  at  least 
once  a  year.  These  words  are  the  summary  of  the  decree  of  the  Lat- 
eran  Council,  held  in  the  thirteenth  century,  which  commands  every 
Catholic  who  has  reached  the  age  of  discretion  to  confess  faithfully 
all  his  sins,  at  least  once  a  year,  to  his  own  pastor,  and  to  carefully 
perform  the  penance  imposed  upon  him. 

"  Every  Catholic.**  Hence,  this  commandment  obliges  everybody, 
great  and  small,  rich  and  poor,  priests  and  religious,  as  well  as  the  laity. 

"Who  has  reached  the  age  of  discretion,**  that  is,  that  age  when 
a  person  begins  to  distinguish  between  good  and  evil.     This  time  is 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH 


367 


generally  reckoned  to  be  about  the  age  of  seven  years.  When  children 
have  attained  this  age,  their  parents  must  send  them  to  confession,  and 
if  they  do  not  do  this,  they  are  guilty  of  sin.  They  must  also  inspire 
them  with  sentiments  of  contrition,  and  give  to  them  a  correct  and 
exact  idea  of  confession.  Children  thus  instructed  will  accustom 
themselves  quite  early  to  have  the  proper  dispositions  for  confession. 

"To  confess  faithfully  all  his  sins."  To  satisfy  this  precept,  it 
must  be  a  worthy  confession,  accompanied  with  sentiments  of  contri- 
tion, and  followed  by  absolution.  This  is  what  the  theologians  gener- 
ally understand  by  the  decree.  It  would  be  a  great  error  to  believe 
that  the  law  of  the  Church  is  fulfilled  by  a  mere  formal  confession, 
without  examination  of  conscience,  without  sorrow,  without  any  pur- 
pose of  amendment,  and  perhaps  solely  to  satisfy  a  father,  a  mother,  an 
employer,  or  to  do  as  others  do.  Undoubtedly,  it  is  better  to  confess 
only  once  a  year  than  not  to  confess  at  all,  because  it  is  at  least  a  begin- 
ning of  obedience,  always  an  act  of  a  child  submissive  to  the  Church ; 
but  if  the  confession  be  unworthy,  far  from  fulfilling  the  precept  of 
the  Church,  you  commit  another  mortal  sin.  , 

"At  least  once  a  year."  There  is  no  period  fixed  by  the  Church; 
but  since  she  commands  us  to  go  to  communion  during  Easter  time,  she 
thereby  indicates  her  desire  that  we  should  also  go  to  confession  during 
the  Easter  time. 

But  in  commanding  us  to  confess  our  sins  at  least  once  a  year,  the 
Church  does  not  intend  to  limit  us  to  one  confession  a  year.  God  for- 
bid! She  merely  fixed  a  limit  which  we  cannot  transgress  without 
rendering  ourselves  guilty  of  sin.  It  is  always  her  desire  that  we 
should  go  to  confession  frequently.  The  object  of  confession  is  not 
only  to  purify  us  from  sin,  but  also  to  preserve  us  from  sin,  and  to  go 
to  confession  only  once  a  year  would  defeat  the  very  end  of  the  sacra- 
ment. To  limit  oneself  to  annual  confession  would  be  to  expose  one- 
self to  fulfill  this  duty  badly.  It  is  very  difficult  to  recollect  all  one's 
sins  of  a  whole  year  and  to  have  sincere  contrition  for  them.  It  would 
be  risking  the  salvation  of  one's  soul,  at  least  if  one  has  the  misfortune 
to  fall  into  mortal  sin,  for  as  long  as  one  is  in  this  unfortunate  state,  he 
can  do  nothing  meritorious,  and  a  sudden  death  would  cast  him  into 
hell  for  all  eternity.  Frequent  confession  is  an  excellent  means  to  sub- 
due one's  passions  and  to  surmount  the  obstacles  opposed  to  the  practice 
of  virtue.  I  am  not  afraid  to  say  that  a  great  cause  of  so  many  persons 
of  every  age  and  sex  going  astray  is  their  neglect  of  confession. 


368 


THIRD   PART.      XL.    INSTRUCTION 


"To  his  own  pastor  or,  with  his  permission,  to  another  priest  ap- 
proved. *^  Who  is  the  proper  pastor  to  whom  you  must  make  your 
annual  confession  of  precept?  It  is  the  Pope  in  the  whole  Church,  the 
bishop  and  his  vicar-general  in  the  whole  diocese,  and  the  parish  priest 
in  each  one's  parish.  During  Easter  time  all  the  powers  of  absolution 
are  reserved  to  the  parish  priest  alone,  and  no  one  can  go  to  confession 
to  another  priest,  even  though  approved,  without  the  permission  of  the 
parish  priest.*  The  Church  has  made  this  regulation  because  the  pastor 
of  a  parish  has  the  special  care  of  his  flock  and  has  to  render  an  account 
to  God  of  all  the  souls  intrusted  to  him,  and,  consequently,  should 
know  his  flock.  This  permission  is  never  refused  if  it  is  asked  for ;  but 
those  who  do  not  confess  to  their  own  pastor  should  be  careful  not  to 
seek  more  lenient  confessors.  Their  only  view  should  be  to  make  an 
unrestrained  and  more  sincere  confession. 

II.  The  Fourth  Commandment  of  the  Church  is  to  receive  the 
Holy  Eucharist  during  Easter  time.  In  the  first  centuries  the  Church 
had  no  need  to  command  the  faithful  to  receive  the  Holy  Eucharist. 
The  early  Christians  showed  the  greatest  zeal  in  receiving  Holy  Com- 
munion, but  fervor  diminished  by  degrees,  piety  became  weaker,  and 
laymen  fell  into  the  habit  of  communicating  very  rarely.  To  remedy 
this  indifference  the  Church  imposed  upon  her  children  a  rigorous  obli- 
gation, and  required  that  they  should  receive  communion  at  least  three 
times  a  year  :  namely,  at  Easter,  Pentecost,  and  Christmas.  But  luke- 
warmness  increased,  and  the  neglect  of  the  sacraments  having  become 
almost  general,  the  Church  reduced  her  precept  to  the  Easter  commun-* 
ion  solely,  but  this  time  with  the  penalty  of  excommunication  against 
those  who  would  not  comply  with  this  regulation.  The  terms  of  the 
decree  of  the  Lateran  Council  are  :  "  Every  Catholic  who  has  attained 
the  age  of  discretion  must  receive  with  respect,  at  least  at  Easter,  the 
sacrament  of  the  Holy  Eucharist,  unless,  following  the  advice  of  his 
own  parish  priest,  for  some  reasonable  cause  he  judges  good  to  abstain 
from  it  for  some  time ;  otherwise  he  cannot  enter  the  church  during 
life,  and  when  he  dies  he  is  to  be  deprived  of  Christian  buriah" 

**  Every  Catholic  who  has  reached  the  age  of  discretion. ^^  This  law 
is,  therefore,  general,  as  that  of  annual  confession,  and  obliges  every- 
body without  exception  of  rank,  fortune,  and  condition,  from  the  age 


♦This  regulation  holds  good  only  in  those  countries  where  parishes  are  canonically  organ- 
ized. Since  we  have  no  such  parishes  in  the  United  States,  the  faithful  are  free  to  make 
tbeit  confession  to  any  duly  authorized  priest. 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH 


369 


of  discretion,  which  is  generally  understood  in  this  case  to  be  of  from 
ten  to  fourteen  years.  Therefore,  every  person  who  has  attained  this 
age,  and  who,  by  his  fault,  does  not  receive  the  Holy  Eucharist  at 
Easter  time,  renders  himself  guilty  of  a  grievous  sin.  Parents  are 
obliged  to  have  their  children  instructed  in  time,  to  watch  over  their 
conduct,  and  to  send  them  often  to  confession,  in  order  that  they  may 
make  their  first  communion  as  soon  as  they  can  **  discern  the  body  of 
the  Lord.'^ 

"  Must  receive  with  respect  " ;  that  is,  receive  the  sacrament  with  the 
proper  dispositions,  in  the  state  of  grace,  and  with  sentiments  of  the 
most  profound  humility,  A  sacrilegious  communion  does  not  fulfill 
this  precept;  on  the  contrary,  it  would  add  only  another  sin  to  those 
one  has  already  committed. 

"At  least  at  Easter  '*;  this  means  within  the  Easter  time  which,  as  a 
rule,  in  the  United  States  begins  on  the  first  Sunday  of  Lent  and  ends 
on  Trinity  Sunday.  The  Church  selected  the  feast  of  Easter,  because 
it  is  the  most  solemn  feast  of  the  year,  and  is  the  time  when  our 
Saviour  instituted  the  Blessed  Eucharist.  Those  who  for  lawful  rea- 
sons cannot  communicate  during  the  time  prescribed,  are  obliged,  un- 
der pain  of  mortal  sin,  to  do  so  as  soon  as  possible.  Although  Easter 
time  may  be  over,  the  obligation  always  exists.  Easter  communion 
ought  to  be  received  in  the  parish  church,  except  special  permission  is 
given  by  the  pastor  to  receive  it  elsewhere,  or  the  church  which  repre- 
sents the  parochial  church,  such  as  chapels  of  religious  communities, 
hospitals,  seminaries,  colleges,  etc.,  approved  for  this  purpose  by  the 
bishop. 

But  in  limiting  her  precept  to  the  Easter  communion,  it  is  not  the 
intention  of  the  Church  that  the  faithful  should  limit  themselves  to 
only  one  communion  a  year.  On  the  contrary,  she  invites  and  exhorts 
us  to  go  often  to  renew  our  strength  in  this  sacred  banquet.  The  Coun- 
cils of  the  Church,  and  the  Fathers,  faithful  interpreters  of  the  wishes 
of  our  Saviour,  never  cease  to  recommend  to  us  frequent  communion. 
Our  soul  is  in  need  of  this  food,  and  weak  as  we  are,  and  surrounded 
by  so  many  enemies  who  are  trying  to  ruin  us,  can  we  hope  to  remain 
firm  and  invincible  without  the  frequent  use  of  this  divine  nourishment 
which  is  the  bread  of  the  strong  and  the  wine  which  makes  virgins. 

How  deplorable  is  the  conduct  of  those  ungrateful  Christians  who 
go  so  rarely  to  holy  communion,  and  especially  of  those  who  remain 
away  from  the  holy  table  even  during  Easter  time,  and  who  have  no 
24 


3yo  THIRD  PART.      XLI.   INSTRUCTION 

regard  either  to  the  laws  of  the  Church,  or  to  their  own  wants  ?  But 
remember,  unfaithful  Christians,  if  you  still  merit  the  name  of  Chris- 
tians, that  you  fail  grievously  in  the  submission  which  you  owe  to  the 
holy  Church,  your  mother,  and  that  you  incur  her  severest  censures, 
because  she  threatens  to  refuse  you  entrance  into  her  temples  during 
life,  and  Christian  burial  after  death,  if  you  do  not  change  your  life. 
These  censures,  it  is  true,  are  only  threatened  and  are  not  incurred  by 
the  sole  fact  in  failing  in  one's  Easter  duty.  It  is  left  to  the  bishop  to 
put  them  into  execution  according  to  circumstances,  after  having  ex- 
hausted all  milder  means  with  which  wisdom  may  inspire  him.  There 
is  only  one  case  in  \vhich  the  yearly  communion  may  be  deferred 
beyond  Easter  time,  and  that  is  when  a  confessor  thinks  it  proper  for 
the  soul  of  his  penitent.  But  this  you  cannot  do  without  the  permission 
of  the  confessor,  and  a  person  would  sin  mortally  if  he  were  to  follow 
his  own  will  in  this  matter. 

May  you,  my  brethren,  well  understand  the  obligations,  so  important 
for  a  Christian,  which  the  Church  imposes  upon  you  in  the  Third  and 
Fourth  Commandments!  May  you  observe  them  in  future  as  religion 
requires,  and  as  you  would  like  to  have  done  at  the  hour  of  death! 
Amen. 


XLI.   INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Fifth  Commandment  of  the  Church 

On  the  Support  of  the  Church  and  Our  Pastors 

I.  Catholics  are  bound  under  pain  of  sin  to  contribute  to  the  sup- 
port of  their  pastor  and  his  assistants.  St.  Paul  says:  So  the  Lord 
ordained  that  they  -who  preach  the  Gospel  should  live  by  the  Gospel 
(I.  Cor.  IX.  13—14). 

The  duty  of  supporting  our  pastor  is  so  self-evident  that  we  find 
this  duty  regulated  among  all  the  nations  of  antiquity.  Under  the  Old 
Law,  God  Himself  commanded  the  people  of  Israel  to  give  tithes  and 
offerings  for  the  support  of  the  priesthood  and  maintenance  of  wor- 
ship. In  the  Church,  from  the  beginning,  this  was  a  sacred  duty; 
for  the  first  Christians  considered   it  an  obligation  of  conscience  to 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH 


371 


support  their  pastors.  This  obligation  soon  became  a  canon  law,  and 
since  the  time  of  the  Emperor  Charlemagne  a  State  law,  and  this 
under  the  form  of  tithe.  Limited  at  first  to  the  crops,  it  soon  was  ex- 
tended to  the  cattle,  and  the  products  of  labor  and  of  commerce.  The 
obligation  of  paying  tithes  was  absolute,  only  the  Crusaders  were  ex- 
empt from  it.  In  England  and  Ireland,  the  tithes  still  constitute  the 
salary  of  the  clergy,  but  these  can  be  no  longer  exacted  in  natural 
products.  Their  value  was  fixed  in  1835,  according  to  an  estimation 
of  the  harvests  figured  on  an  average  of  seven  years  and  amounting  ta 
about  forty  million  dollars.  In  other  European  countries,  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  clergy  and  maintenance  of  worship  in  general,  they  follow" 
about  the  same  plan.  Since  in  the  United  States  the  Church  is  alto- 
gether separated  from  the  State,  the  obligation  to  contribute  to  the 
support  of  its  ministers,  to  the  building  and  maintenance  of  church 
and  school,  depends  on  the  offerings  of  the  people.  * 

Whatever  means  are  adopted  in  the  parish  to  this  end,  Catholics 
must  be  willing  to  do  their  share,  whether  it  be  by  paying  a  fixed 
amount  of  dues,  pew  rent,  seat  money,  or  by  contributing  to  certain 
collections  and  entertainments,  and  making  certain  customary  offer- 
ings in  receiving  the  administrations  of  religion. 

II.  Who  Are  Obliged  to  Contribute  to  This  Support? — All  members 
of  the  parish  who  have  an  income  of  their  own,  whether  they  are  mar- 
ried or  single,  whether  they  have  families  or  not,  whether  they  live 
with  their  families,  board,  or  live  for  themselves.  Moreover,  sons  and 
daughters  who  pay  their  board,  and  have  the  balance  of  their  income 
for  their  own  use,  are  bound  equally  as  well  as  their  parents  to  con- 
tribute to  the  support  of  their  church,  school,  and  pastor. 

Those  who  have  no  children  to  send  to  church  or  school  must  not 
think  that  they  have  less  obligation  to  support  the  two  institutions. 
Such  a  policy  would  be  business,  but  not  religion.  On  the  contrary, 
the  greater  the  means  the  greater  the  obligation  to  support  both 
church  and  school. 

Servants  and  others  having  small  salaries  must  be  willing  to  pay 
such  dues  as  are  fixed  for  them  by  their  pastor,  as  well  as  to  contribute 
to  other  sources  of  church  revenue. 

Persons  not  able  to  pay  the  fixed  dues,  either  through  continued 
poverty,  or  for  the  time  being,  are  bound  to  make  their  circumstances 


*  Now  we  quote  Rev.  Alexander  L.  A.  Klauder.  "  Catholic  Practice.' 


372 


THIRD   PART.      XLI.    INSTRUCTION 


known  to  the  pastor,  or  be  considered  delinquents.  To  neither  pay 
nor  make  any  excuse  to  the  pastor  is  considered  either  pure  neglect  of 
duty,  pride,  or  obstinacy. 

Parties  failing  both  to  pay  for  their  pews  or  seats,  and  to  give  an 
explanation  for  it,  should  remember  that  they  forfeit  their  right  to  them. 
It  requires  no  notice  on  the  part  of  the  pastor  to  such,  in  order  that  he 
may  be  justified  in  disposing  of  their  pew  or  seat  in  favor  of  others. 

Whatever  misunderstanding  may  exist  between  pew  holders  and 
ushers,  clerks,  and  others,  should  be  reported  at  once  to  those  in 
•charge,  or  to  the  pastor  himself. 

Parties  failing  to  report  in  due  time  cannot  expect  their  griev- 
ances to  be  adjusted  afterwards  to  the  discomfort  of  innocent  parties. 

Pay  your  dues  or  pew  rent  at  the  appointed  time  and  place,  and 
see  that  you  receive  credit  for  it.  Do  not  expect  the  pastor  or  any  one 
else  to  carry  the  pew  book  about,  with  him.  If  through  your  neglect 
of  these  rules,  and  through  your  own  awkwardness,  you  find  that  you 
have  not  been  credited  for  your  payment,  you  will  have  yourself  to 
blame. 

Parties  unwilling  to  take  part  in  church  entertainments  or  unable 
to  attend  them  should  at  least  do  their  share  by  purchasing  tickets  or 
otherwise  contributing  to  their  object.  If  the  character  of  such  enter- 
tainments be  not  always  to  one's  taste,  the  object  of  them,  at  least, 
should  always  be. 

If  you  have  been  accidentally  overlooked  at  the  regular  church 
collection,  either  at  one  that  is  taken  up  within  the  church  itself,  or  at 
a  house-to-house  collection  in  the  parish,  bring  your  contribution, 
nevertheless,  to  the  pastor  or  to  those  in  charge.  Do  not  take  advan- 
tage of  such  an  oversight,  when  you  w^ould  otherwise  have  contrib- 
uted.    Such  conduct  is  unworthy  of  any  one  calling  himself  a  Catholic. 

The  duty  of  Catholics  to  support  the  parochial  school  in  particular, 
is  set  forth  by  the  bishops  of  this  country  among  other  urgent  admoni- 
tions in  the  following  appeal :  — 

*The  laity  should  give  a  sufficient  and  generous  support  to  the 
schools.  They  must,  therefore,  unite  their  efforts,  as  to  be  able  to 
meet  all  the  necessary  expenses  in  the  parochial  school.  The  faithful 
must  be  reminded,  be  it  in  pastoral  letters,  be  it  in  sermons  or  in  pri- 
vate interviews,  that  they  offend  grievously  against  their  duty  if  they 
neglect  by  every  possible  effort  and  expense  to  provide  for  Catholic 
schools. 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH         ^73 

*  This  should  be  more  especially  brought  home  to  the  minds  of  those 
Catholics  who  are  prominent  by  their  wealth  and  authority.  Parents 
should,  therefore,  promptly  and  willingly  pay  the  little  monthly  con- 
tribution which  is  exacted  for  each  child.  The  other  members  of  the 
parish,  however,  must  not  be  unwilling  to  establish  and  increase  any 
fund  that  may  be  necessary  or  reasonable  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
schools.  All,  then,  whether  parents  or  other  heads  of  families,  or 
young  people  who  have  means  of  their  own,  should  be  ready  to  give 
their  name  to  any  institution  by  which  they  may  help  by  regular  con- 
tributions, however  small  they  may  be,  to  support  the  schools,  or  to 
make  them,  if  only  in  part,  at  least,  free  schools.  The  existence  of  such 
an  institution  in  every  parish  is  greatly  to  be  recommended.  Many  of 
such  have  been  established,  and  have  been  signally  blessed  by  the  sov- 
ereign pontiff.  If  all  the  faithful  do  their  share  towards  this  most 
sacred  object,  the  result  will  be  improvement  in  the  internal  excel- 
lence as  well  as  the  external  appearance  of  the  school,  increase  of 
teachers  on  the  one  hand,  and  fewer  children  in  the  multiplied  classes 
on  the  other,  and,  consequently,  better  grading  throughout ;  all  of 
which  will  wonderfully  tend  to  raise  the  standard  of  our  schools.'* 
(**Acts  and  Decrees  of  the  Third  Plenary  Council  of  Baltimore^^^ 
No.  202.) 


XLII.     INSTRUCTION 

On    the    Sixth    Commandment    of   the    Church*  —  On  Mixed 

Marriages 

Neither  shalt  thou  make  marriages  with  them.  Thou  shall  not  give  thy 
daughter  to  his  son,  nor  take  his  daughter  for  thy  son,  for  she  will  turn  thy 
son  from  following  me  that  he  may  serve  strange  gods,  and  the  wrath  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  kindled  and  will  quickly  destroy  thee   (Deut.  vn.  3-4). 

I.  Such  are  the  words  of  solemn  warning  which  God  addressed  to 
the  chosen  people  when  they  were  about  to  enter  the  Promised  Land. 
The  Jews  were  blessed  with  the  true  religion  in  their  day,  and  lest  that 

*  For  other  instructions  on  marriage,  see  Instructions  XXIV.  and  XXV.  on  the  sacrament  of 
matrimony. 


_274  THIRD   PART.      XLII.   INSTRUCTION 

religion  should  be  lost  or  even  dulled  in  their  hearts,  marriage  with  un- 
believers was  forbidden.  In  other  words,  mixed  marriages  were  not 
allowed.  Any  one  who  believes  that  life  is  a  serious  business,  and  not 
a  time  to  be  frittered  away  on  useless  things,  will  easily  realize  the  all- 
consuming  importance  of  this  subject.  He  will  easily  see  that  on»  well- 
assorted  marriages  depends  the  spiritual  and  temporal  prosperity  of  the 
parties  concerned  ;  that  on  them  depend  the  rigid  training,  physical  and 
mental,  of  the  children;  and  the  teaching  of  these  children  to  be  duti- 
ful sons  and  daughters,  good  men  and  good  women,  good  citizens  in 
this  life,  and,  eventually,  citizens  of  heaven.  He  will  see  that  the 
future  of  the  world,  the  well-being  of  society,  the  progress  of  man- 
kind, depends  largely  upon  the  sanctity  of  the  marriage  tie.  He  will 
understand,  on  the  other  hand,  how  ill-assorted  marriages  bring  naught 
save  desolation  to  the  household,  blight  to  life's  early  promise,  death 
to  the  pleasures  of  life,  all  manner  of  woe  to  the  offspring  of  such  a 
union,  and,  perhaps,  perpetual  ruin  in  the  next  life.  He  will  see  that 
though  marriages  are  popularly  said  to  be  made  in  heaven,  some  of 
them  bear  the  impress  of  Lucifer  upon  them.  I  say  these  things,  not 
for  the  purpose  of  discouraging  marriage,  for  that  would  be  contrary 
to  the  interests  of  the  State,  contrary  to  the  interests  of  the  Church, 
contrary  to  the  interests  of  your  souls;  but  I  say  it  in  order  that  you 
may  be  induced  to  use  your  judgment  and  to  exercise  a  caution  in  the 
selection  of  a  partner,  in  some  way  proportionate  to  the  gravity  of  the 
question. 

II.  We  Catholics  look  upon  marriage  as  a  civil  contract,  that  is,  a 
contract  to  be  entered  into  according  to  the  just  laws  of  the  country, 
having  due  regard  for  temporal  concerns  of  the  contracting  parties  ;  we 
look  upon  marriage  as  a  contract  arising  from  the  law  of  nature,  bind- 
ing the  contracting  parties  to  certain  duties  and  obligations,  and  binding 
them  for  life ;  we  also  look  upon  it  as  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Law, 
and  as  such  it  requires  a  careful  preparation  such  as  you  make  for  the 
reception  of  any  other  sacrament.  We  look  upon  marriage  as  binding 
the  parties  for  life,  not  as  a  thing  wherein  one  may  set  the  other  aside, 
and  that,  as  sometimes  happens,  for  a  most  trivial  reason  such  as  what 
is  euphemistically  called  incompatibility  of  temper;  not  as  something 
wherein  one  may  repudiate  the  other  as  you  throw  away  a  worn-out 
hat  or  a  threadbare  coat ;  we  believe  that  when  a  Catholic  man  and  a 
Catholic  woman  promise  in  the  marriage  ceremony  to  accept  each  other 
till  death  parts  them,  they  mean  it ;  we  hold  the  teaching  of  Christ  on  the 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH  ,75 

indissolubility  of  the  bond  of  Christian  marriage,  as  laid  down  in  His 
Sermon  on  the  Mount ;  we  accept  His  conclusion  contained  in  the 
words  :  What  God  hath  joined  together  let  no  man  put  asunder  (Matt. 
XIV.  6).  We  look  upon  marriage  as  a  sacrament,  for  so  the  Church 
considered  it  even  at  a  time  when  all  admitted  her  to  be  the  one  true 
Church,  so  the  Scriptures  insinuate  and  the  Fathers  teach,  and  the 
Council  of  Trent  declares  it  is  **  truly  and  properly  one  of  the  seven 
sacraments  of  the  evangelical  law  instituted  by  Christ.'*  We  look  upon 
it  as  a  holy  sacrament;  holy  in  its  founder  who  is  Jesus  Christ ;  holy  in 
its  signification,  for  it  is  a  figure  of  the  union  of  the  Divine  Word  with 
human  nature,  a  hallowed  copy  of  the  union  of  Christ  with  His 
Church,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  with  the  souls  of  the  just ;  holy  in  its 
effects  which  are  sanctifying  and  actual  graces  ;  holy  in  the  object  of  its 
institution  which  is  to  multiply  the  children  of  God,  and  bring  them 
to  eternal  salvation.  These  things  being  so,  it  is  all  the  more  incum- 
bent on  people  to  follow  the  wisest  councils  in  selecting  partners  for 
life. 

III.  It  is  a  well-known  fact,  and  admitted  by  all  jurists,  that  the 
Canon  Law  —  the  law  of  the  Church  —  is  most  wise  and  just;  and  the 
chief  excellencies  of  other  codes  are  to  be  found  where  the  principles 
laid  down  in  our  Canon  Law  have  been  adopted.  To  the  laws  of  our 
Church,  then,  we  have  to  look  for  the  best  course  to  be  followed  in 
reference  to  marriage.  She  has  power  to  make  laws  for  the  good 
government  of  her  subjects,  because  she  is  a  society,  and  as  such  has 
power  to  govern  her  own  members  ;  and  because  Christ  gave  her  all 
power  necessary  or  ever  useful  for  the  right  government  of  a  Christian 
commonwealth.  In  the  exercise  of  that  power,  in  order  to  promote 
the  spiritual  and,  indeed,  the  temporal  welfare  of  her  children,  she  has 
decreed  that  there  shall  be  certain  impediments  to  matrimony.  The 
law  of  nature  itself,  that  is,  the  law  imprinted  as  it  were  on  our  hearts, 
telling  us  that  certain  things  are  of  their  own  nature  good  and  there- 
fore ought  to  be  done,  and  that  certain  things  are  inherently  bad  and 
therefore  to  be  avoided  —  this  grand  law,  coming  directly  from  the 
Creator's  hand,  puts  certain  impediments  to  marriage.  Some  impedi- 
ments make  marriage  null  and  void ;  others  render  it  unlawful  but  not 
invalid.  We  are  dealing  here  with  one  obstacle  only,  and  that  is  the 
difference  of  religion  in  the  contracting  parties. 

IV.  For  all  practical  purposes  we  may  describe  a  mixed  marriage 
to  be  a  marriage  between  a  Catholic  and  a  non-  Catholic^  whether  the 


376 


THIRD    PART.      XLII.    INSTRUCTION 


latter  be  baptized  or  unbaptized.  If  there  be  question  between  an  un- 
baptized  person  marrying  a  Catliolic,  the  marriage,  according  to  the 
discipline  of  our  Church,  is  null  and  void.  If  we  mean  a  marriage 
between  a  Catholic  and  a  non-Catholic  who  is  baptized,  the  marriage 
is  valid  but  not  lawful  unless  a  dispensation  be  obtained  from  the  pro- 
hibitory law. 

V.  A  great  deal  of  misapprehension  obtains  in  reference  to  mixed 
marriages.  Some  seem  to  think  that  the  opposition  of  the  Church  in 
this  matter  is  a  new-fangled  idea,  whereas,  if  there  be  anything  clear 
from  ecclesiastical  history,  it  is  the  stern  opposition  of  the  Church  in 
every  age  to  these  unhallowed  unions.  Others  imagine,  because 
they  have  known  some  cases  of  mixed  marriages  to  have  taken  place 
with  ecclesiastical  permission,  that,  therefore,  they  are  not  forbidden. 
The  Church  allows  mixed  marriages  in  some  cases  where  dispensations 
from  the  law  have  been  granted  for  sufficient  reason;  but  in  such 
cases,  and  in  such  only,  does  she  permit  them.  Some  have  an  idea  that 
it  is  altogether  a  matter  of  discretion  for  the  pastor  w^hether  he  will 
marry  persons  of  different  religions  or  not.  The  truth  is  this:  The 
pastor  has  not  discretionary  powers.  The  people  are  bound  to  observe 
the  laws  of  the  Church  ;  the  pastor  is  bound  to  see  that  they  do  ob- 
serve them.  We  must  not  be  understood  as  finding  fault  with  our 
Protestant  brethren  when  we  set  our  face  against  mixed  marriages. 
Why  should  we  find  fault  with  those  who  follow  the  dictates  of 
conscience.''  We  believe  with  the  late  Dr.  Murray,  of  Maynooth  Col- 
lege, who  spoke  for  the  Protestants  of  Ireland,  and  with  Cardinal 
NcAvman,  who  gave  his  opinion  in  reference  to  the  sincerity  of  his 
Protestant  fellow-countrymen,  and  with  Dr.  Libermann,  who  might  be 
looked  upon  as  an  authority  on  German  Protestantism,  that  the  vast 
majority  of  Protestants  are  in  good  faith,  and  they  honestly  think  they 
are  journeying  by  a  safe  way  to  heaven.  But  we  do  find  fault  with 
the  Catholic  who  deliberately  sets  the  laws  of  his  Church  at  defiance, 
who  brings  disgrace  upon  himself  and  upon  his  religion,  and  far-reach- 
ing misery  upon  his  offspring.  We  say,  as  the  marriage  of  a  Catholic 
with  a  Protestant  is  not  good  for  the  former,  so  the  marriage  of  a 
Catholic  with  a  Protestant  is  not  good  for  the  latter. 

VI.  Mixed  marriages  are  forbidden  by  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 
The  whole  drift  of  God's  law  in  the  Old  Testament  on  this  subject, 
from  the  sixth  chapter  of  Genesis,  where  we  are  told  the  sons  of  Seth 
married  the  daughters  of  Cain,  who  were  unbelievers,  on  to  the  direct 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH  ^77 

prohibition  in  Deuteronomy  :  Neither  shalt  thou  make  marriages  with 
them,  is  one  uncompromising  protest  against  these  unions.  These  are 
forbidden  by  an  ecclesiastical  law  which  is  absolute  and  universal.  It 
is  universal,  for  it  extends  to  all  lands  and  Christian  peoples ;  it  is 
absolute,  for  it  is  enacted  on  the  presumption  that  danger  exists,  and, 
therefore,  according  to  the  general  principle  of  such  laws,  it  binds  even 
when  one  may  prudently  judge  that  there  is  no  spiritual  danger  in  a 
particular  case,  so  that,  even  in  the  absence  of  all  danger,  a  Catholic 
contracting  such  a  marriage  without  a  dispensation  from  the  prohibi- 
tory law  would  be  guilty  of  grievous  sin. 

VII.  Mixed  marriages  are  forbidden  by  a  lavj  of  nature  because 
of  the  many  and  dangerous  evils  which  spring  from  them.  There  is, 
first  of  all,  the  danger  of  perversion,  or  loss  of  faith.  This  danger 
arises  from  such  familiar  association  as  must  necessarily  exist  between 
man  and  wife,  from  non-Catholic  books,  from  the  various  threats, 
snares,  entreaties,  flatteries,  that  are  made  use  of  to  effect  such  a  pur- 
pose. And  if  the  faith  of  a  Catholic  be  not  always  destroyed,  it  is 
sometimes  made  cold  and  practically  dead.  The  second  danger  is  that 
the  children  of  such  a  marriage  may  not  be  brought  up  in  the  Catholic 
Church.  This  is  no  imaginary  danger,  and  everyone  knows  some  sad 
example  of  it.  All  the  circumstances  of  such  marriages  tend  to  this 
result.  The  difficulty  of  common  prayer,  the  difficulty  of  preserving 
Catholic  surroundings  in  the  home,  the  difficulty  as  to  the  fulfillment 
of  religious  duties,  the  evil  example  of  seeing  one  parent  going  to  one 
Church,  the  other  to  another,  all  show  how  serious  is  the  danger  which 
threatens  the  faith  of  the  children  of  a  mixed  marriage. 

The  third  great  danger  is  that  of  indifference  to  all  religion.  Mixed 
marriages  foster  indifferentism  —  the  great  bane  of  the  age.  They 
tend  to  make  people  forget  the  divine  commission  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel to  every  creature.  Christ  did  not  mean  that  the  apostles  should 
preach  any  Gospel  which  their  fancy  might  suggest,  but  He  meant 
whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you.  They  incline  people  to  the  belief 
that  one  religion  is  as  good  as  another,  a  belief  which  is  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  the  old  Creed  drawn  up  by  the  apostles,  in  which  we  say: 
I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Holy  Catholic  Church. 

The  fourth  danger  is  that  of  dissensions  in  the  familv  circle.  For 
a  true  Christian  marriage,  grace  should  meet  grace,  and  faith  should 
be  united  with  faith.  Even  the  very  minds  should  be  married,  and  to 
the  union  of  true  minds  there  should  be  no  obstacle.      A  harmony  of 


378 


THIRD   PART.      XLII.  INSTRUCTION 


souls  is  necessary  for  the  happiness.  There  are  causes  enough  for  dis- 
agreement between  husband  and  wife,  without  adding  a  needless  one 
—  that  of  difference  of  religion.  The  man  who  was  as  a  wooer,  or 
lover,  all  sweetness,  may  as  a  husband  have  very  little  respect  or  even 
toleration  for  his  wife's  religious  opinions. 

The  next  great  danger  arises  from  this,  lest  the  Catholic  party 
should  die  and  thus  leave  the  children  exposed  to  the  almost  moral 
certainty  of  being  brought  up  in  another  faith,  or,  worse  still,  without 
any  belief  whatever.  Catholics  who  incur  this  risk  run  counter  to 
the  teachings  of  St.  Paul  in  the  words:  If  any  have  not  care  for  his 
oivn^  and  especially  of  those  of  his  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith  and 
is  worse  than  an  infidel  (I.  Tim.  v.  8).  Non-Catholics  who  believe 
they  can  be  saved  as  easily  in  one  church  as  in  another  may  not  see 
the  point  of  this.  But  Catholics  who  believe  in  the  one  true  Church, 
who  have  no  reason  and  no  room  for  doubt,  who  know  the  truth  and 
can  give  a  reason  for  their  faith,  Catholics,  we  repeat,  are  the  ones 
who  are  reprehensible  if  they  willingly  expose  themselves  to  these 
dangers. 

There  is  yet  another  danger.  It  is  that  of  divorce.  We  believe 
that  the  marriage  tie  cannot  be  broken  ;  we  hold  that  no  court  of  jus- 
tice can  separate  those  whom  God  has  joined.  Not  so,  however,  with 
our  separated  brethren.  In  not  a  fe^v  of  our  States  and  Territories 
divorce  is  granted  for  many  and  trivial  causes,  causes  so  trifling  as  to 
promote  merriment  of  the  subject  were  it  not  so  serious.  With  divorce 
come  blighted  hopes,  withered  prospects,  disappointed  affection,  and 
all  the  ills  that  follow  in  the  train  of  a  ruined  home. 

VIII.  And  even  though  all  these  dangers  be  absent,  yet  a  dispensa- 
tion from  the  law  of  the  Church  is  necessary  —  a  dispensation  never 
given  without  a  grave  cause,  and  generally  in  order  to  prevent  greater 
evils.  Whatever  reasons  may  have  existed  in  the  past,  it  is  seldom  in 
the  present  circumstances  of  this  country,  and  with  the  necessary 
number  of  Catholics,  that  we  find  solid  reasons  to  justify  such  mar- 
riages. Before  a  dispensation  from  the  prohibitory  law  can  be  ob- 
tained, the  non-Catholic  party  must  make  certain  promises  in  writing 
and  in  presence  of  witnesses.     The  non-Catholic  must  promise : — 

1st.  To  allow  the  Catholic  full  liberty  of  conscience  in  the  exercise 
of  Catholicity. 

2d.  That  all  the  children  shall  be  baptized  and  brought  up  in  the 
Catholic  Church. 


ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH         ^^q 

3d.  That  no  other  marriage  ceremony  shall  take  place  than  that  by 
the  Catholic  priest. 

Even  though  all  this  were  done,  though  a  sufficient  cause  existed 
for  a  dispensation,  though  the  required  promises  were  made,  though 
the  dispensation  were  obtained,  though  the  parties  were  married  be- 
fore the  priest,  how  many  are  there  who  keep  their  word  thus 
solemnly  pledged?  Those  who  are  in  a  position  to  know,  those 
whose  daily  life  brings  them  in  contact  with  mixed  marriages  and 
their  results,  tell  us  that  the  number  who  break  their  promises  in  this 
matter  is  simply  astonishing.  Nor  can  they  be  compelled  by  law  to 
keep  them,  for  it  would  appear  that  antenuptial  promises  are  in  point 
of  law  entirely  void.  Bishop  Ullathorne  presents  this  aspect  of  the 
question  with  great  clearness  and  force:  ^*  It  would  be  unjust, '*  he 
writes,  *'  as  well  as  ungenerous,  not  to  admit  that  there  are  Protestants 
who  loyally  keep  the  promises  they  have  made  in  marriage  with  Cath- 
olics, and  who  truly  respect  the  faith  and  religious  exercises  of  their 
Catholic  spouse,  and  fulfill  their  pledges  respecting  the  education  of 
the  children.  But  prudence  looks  to  what  generally  happens,  and  not 
to  the  exceptional  cases,  and  wisdom  never  runs  any  serious  risks  in 
matters  of  the  soul.  The  individuals  and  ev^en  the  families  that 
have  fallen  from  the  Church  through  mixed  marriages  amount  to 
numbers  incredible  to  those  who  have  not  examined  the  question 
thoroughly  ;  and  the  number  of  Catholics  bound  at  this  moment  in 
mixed  marriages,  who  live  in  a  hard  and  bitter  conflict  for  the 
exercise  of  their  religion,  for  that  of  their  children,  and  in  certain 
cases  for  the  soundness  of  their  morals,  could  they  with  all  the  facts 
be  known,  would  deter  any  thoughtful  Catholic  from  contracting 
a  mixed  marriage." 

IX.  Those  are  the  chief  reasons  why  the  Church  is  opposed  to 
mixed  marriages.  Her  very  ceremonial  and  ritual  for  mixed  marriages 
bring  out  this  opposition  in  stronger  relief.  A  mixed  marriage  cannot 
take  place  in  Church.  There  can  be  no  nuptial  Mass  and  no  marriage 
blessing.  The  priest  is  present,  but  only  as  an  official  witness.  He  is 
not  there  to  impart  a  blessing,  and  he  does  not  pray  for  them  in  the 
name  of  God's  Church.  The  ceremonial  is  deprived  of  the  beautiful 
liturgy,  and  everything  about  it  is  more  suggestive  of  a  funeral  than  a 
marriage. 

X.  But  in  order  to  prevent  the  effects,  we  must  remove  the  causes. 
Foremost  amongst  the  causes  of  mixed  marriages  is  a  lack  of  serious 


38o 


THIRD   PART.      XLII.   INSTRUCTION 


reflection.  People  entail  upon  themselves  and  upon  others  untold  mis- 
ery because  they  will  not  think.  Well  are  we  reminded  of  the  words 
of  Jeremias :  With  desolation  is  the  land  made  desolate,  because  there 
is  no  one  that  considereth  in  the  hearth.  If  a  man  build  a  house  or 
buy  a  horse  he  will  consult  with  those  who  are  better  informed  than 
himself,  but  if  he  be  about  to  contract  a  mixed  marriage  he  will  not 
stop  to  consider  its  consequences,  nor  pause  to  find  out  its  dangers  from 
those  whose  duty  it  is  to  know.  A  second  cause  of  mixed  marriages 
is  lack  of  strong  faith.  The  Church  is  the  exponent  of  revealed  truth, 
and  the  director  of  our  actions.  Now%  if  people  had  a  lively  faith 
in  the  Church  of  God,  and  would  only  realize  the  antagonism  of  the 
Church  to  such  marriages,  they  would  never  think  of  contracting  them. 
Other  causes  of  mixed  marriages  are  the  absence  of  religious  education, 
the  neglect  of  the  sacraments  in  early  manhood  and  womanhood,  the 
bad  example  of  others,  the  absurd  idea  that  Catholics,  because  of  re- 
ligious reasons,  are  inferior  socially  to  non-Catholics,  and  the  silly 
literature  of  the  time.  We  refer,  in  particular,  to  the  modern  novel,  for 
whilst  novel- writing  has  very  much  degenerated  of  late,  there  are  other 
departments  of  literature  in  which  there  are  writers  equal  to  those  of 
any  period,  and  more  numerous  than  they  have  ever  been  since  the 
dawn  of  English  literature.  There  is  yet  another  cause,  and  it  is  this: 
young  people  sometimes  put  themselves  in  such  social  intercourse  that 
fancy  and  youthful  thoughtlessness  are  likely  to  bring  about  these  mis- 
chievous unions.  There  is  no  effect  without  cause.  Take  away  these 
causes  and  the  effect  will  not  follow. 

Take  heed  lest  you  be  lead  into  a  labyrinth  of  misery  by  mixed 
marriages.  There  is  no  need  to  marry  a  Philistine.  There  is  no  need 
of  running  the  risk  of  being  treated  as  poor  old  Samson  the  giant  was, 
or  as  Socrates  the  philosopher  was,  or  as  Job,  that  time-honored  ex- 
ample of  patience,  was,  or  as  John  Ruskin,  the  great  art  critic,  wa& 
treated.  Marry  not  for  money,  for  then  your  partner  may  be  looked 
upon  as  an  incumbrance  ;  marry  not  for  convenience,  for  such  mar- 
riages are  usually  an  inconvenience;  marry  not  for  position,  for  that  is 
acquired  by  merit,  not  by  matrimony. 


FOURTH  PART 

ON  GRACE  AND  THE  SACRAMENTS 


I.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Grace 

I.  The  word  graces  signifies,  in  general,  a  gift,  a  favor,  a  benefit  of 
pure  liberality,  and  which  is  not  due  under  any  title ;  otherwise,  says 
St.  Paul,  it  would  be  no  longer  a  grace.  God  makes  gifts  to  men, 
grants  to  them  favors  and  benefits  both  in  the  natural  and  supernatural 
order.  There  are,  therefore,  two  kinds  of  graces:  natural  grace  and 
supernatural  grace. 

Natural  graces  are  those  which  God  grants  to  man  without  elevat- 
ing him  above  his  nature,  and  which  refer  directly  to  the  present  life, 
as  health,  the  use  of  reason,  the  intellectual  faculties,  beautv,  strength 
of  the  body,  free  will,  temporal  goods.  .  .  .  All  these  things  are,  un- 
doubtedly, graces  and  benefits  which  come  to  us  from  God,  because  He 
does  not  owe  them  to  us.  But  they  are  purely  natural  graces,  because 
they  end  with  the  present  life,  and  they  have  no  reference  at  all  to  the 
supernatural  end  for  which  we  were  created,  that  is,  to  our  salvation. 

Supernatural  graces  are  those  which  elevate  man  above  his  nature, 
which  have  no  relation  to  the  things  of  this  world,  and  which  God 
grants  to  man  only  to  lead  him  to  his  last  end,  which  is  heaven. 

In  this  instruction,  which  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  the  Chris- 
tian doctrine,  I  shall  speak  only  of  supernatural  grace ;  and  as  the 
matter  is  abstract,  and  difficult  to  understand,  I  beg  you  to  give  me 
your  entire  attention. 

II.  What  is,  therefore,  supernatural  grace,  the  grace  which  alone, 
among  all  others,  is  properly  called  grace?  It  is  a  supernatural  gift 
ivhich  God  grants  us  to  do  good  and  avoid  evil. 

1st.  It  is  2i  gift,  that  is,  a  gratuitous  help,  a  favor,  a  benefit.  2d. 
This  gift  is  supernatural  because  it  elevates  us  above  our  human  and 

(381) 


382 


FOURTH   PART.      I.   INSTRUCTION 


earthly  conditions,  and  prepares  us  for  eternal  happiness.  3d.  Which 
God  grants  us,  for  only  God  can  grant  us  grace  ;  the  angels,  the  saints, 
and  the  Blessed  Virgin  herself  can  only  beg  God's  grace  for  us.  4th. 
To  do  good  and  avoid  evil,  for  that  is  the  only  reason  why  grace  is 
granted  to  us, 

III.  Supernatural  grace  is  of  two  kinds  :  habitual  or  sanctifying 
grace  and  actual  grace. 

Sanctifying  grace  is  that  which  justifies  man,  renders  him  agree- 
able to  God,  and  from  a  sinner  makes  him  a  saint  worthy  of  heaven. 
We  receive  this  grace  in  baptism  and  in  the  sacrament  of  penance,  if 
we  have  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  it  through  mortal  sin. 

Nothing  is  more  precious,  nothing  more  ineffable  than  sanctifying 
grace.  It  is  this  grace  which  makes  us  the  adopted  children  and  heirs 
of  the  Heavenly  Father,  the  brethren  and  coheirs  of  Jesus  Christ  and 
the  living  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  this  which  is  the  true  life 
of  the  soul,  because  he  who  possesses  sanctifying  grace  can  say  with 
St.  Paul  (Gal.  II.  20)  :  /  live,  now  not  /,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me; 
and  if  our  soul  has  the  happiness  to  possess  sanctifying  grace  at  the 
moment  of  death,  it  is  sure  of  eternal  life. 

What  are  all  the  goods  and  all  the  treasures  of  the  world  compared 
with  this  grace?  St.  Augustine  says  that  it  is  infinitely  more  precious 
than  even  the  privilege  of  the  divine  maternity.  And  this  is  true,  for 
Mary  could  never  have  become  the  mother  of  God,  if  previously  she  had 
not  been  sanctified  by  grace.  And  the  Angelic  Doctor,  St.  Thomas, 
teaches  that  this  grace  is  in  us  the  beginning  of  glory,  just  as  the  glory 
in  heaven  is  the  consummation  of  grace.  Consummated  grace  is  the 
perfect  union  of  the  creature  with  the  Creator,  and  sanctifying  grace 
is  the  beginning  of  this  union. 

As  long  as  we  possess  sanctifying  grace,  God  dwells  in  our  soul  as 
in  His  temple,  and  overwhelms  it  with  benefits.  Just  as  the  branch, 
as  long  as  it  remains  connected  with  the  stem,  shares  in  all  its  sap  and 
bears  fruit  in  season,  so,  also,  the  just  soul,  as  long  as  it  remains 
united  with  God,  enjoys  all  His  favors,  partakes  of  all  the  spiritual 
goods  of  the  Church,  and  every  day  adds  new  merits  to  those  already 
acquired.  Wonderful  effects  of  sanctifying  grace !  Through  it  you 
have  a  share  in  all  the  prayers  and  all  the  good  works  of  the  faithful 
of  all  the  world,  in  all  the  mortifications  and  in  all  the  acts  of  charity 
and  devotedness  practiced  by  so  many  holy  missionaries,  by  so  many 
fervent  religious,  by  so  many  holy  souls,  and  without  it  you  share  in 


ON   GRACE 


383 


nothing.  With  it  all  your  works  are  works  of  life,  agreeable 
to  God  and  meritorious  for  heaven,  and  without  it  all  your  works  are 
sterile  and  dead.  With  it  every  good  action,  even  a  drink  of  water 
given  to  a  poor  man  out  of  love  for  God,  is  deserving  of  eternal  happi- 
ness ;  and  without  it,  even  if  you  should  give  to  the  poor  all  you  have, 
and  if  you  should  fast  every  day  on  bread  and  water,  you  might,  indeed, 
obtain  the  grace  of  conversion,  but  you  would  never  acquire  the  least 
merit  for  heaven. 

One  might  justly  apply  to  santifying  grace  the  words  of  the  Can- 
ticle of  Canticles  (iv.  7):  Thou  art  all  beautiful,  my  beloved^  and 
there  is  no  spot  in  thee.  Sanctifying  grace  is  a  pearl,  a  diamond, 
which  cannot  be  kept  with  too  much  care  when  one  possesses  it ; 
and  the  price  of  this  pearl  increases  more  and  more  by  the  practice  of 
virtue  and  of  good  works,  through  the  sacraments  and  prayer.  Just 
as  in  heaven  the  saints  are  elevated  in  glory  according  to  their  merits, 
so  also  upon  earth  souls  become  more  and  more  agreeable  to  God,  and 
have  a  greater  share  in  His  liberality,  in  proportion  as  they  are  more 
pure  and  more  perfect. 

IV.  Sanctifying  grace  is  also  called  habitual  grace,  because  when 
once  obtained  it  dwells  and  resides  in  us  in  a  constant  and  uninter- 
rupted manner,  until  we  lose  it  by  mortal  sin.  If  we  examine  our- 
selves, can  we  say  we  possess  this  grace  ?  Alas !  it  is  given  to  none 
to  have  a  perfect  certitude  of  this,  for  the  Holy  Ghost  says  :  Man 
knoweth  not  whether  he  is  worthy  of  love  or  hatred  (Eccl.  ix.  i). 
This  means  that,  however  advanced  in  virtue  we  may  be,  we  can 
never  be  sure  of  salvation.  However,  if  our  conscience  has  no  serious 
reproach  to  make  to  us,  we  may  have  confidence  that  we  possess  sanc- 
tifying grace.  Let  us,  then,  be  careful  not  to  lose  it.  Oh  !  how  fragile 
is  the  vessel  which  contains  it,  and  how  many  dangers  there  are  for 
us !  Dangers  from  the  devil,  always  plotting  our  ruin  ;  dangers  from 
the  world,  on  account  of  its  seductions  and  scandals,  dangers  from  our 
own  passions,  always  in  revolt  against  us!  Let  us  continually  watch 
and  pray,  according  to  the  recommendation  of  our  divine  Master. 

V.  The  second  kind  of  supernatural  grace  is  actual  grace.  Actual 
grace  is  the  grace  which  God  grants  to  us  from  day  to  day,  according 
as  we  ask  it  from  Him,  or  according  to  our  needs.  Actual  grace  is 
either  exterior  or  interior.  Exterior  actual  graces  are  such  as  good 
example,  charitable  advices.  Christian  education,  the  evangelical 
preaching,   pious  reading,  etc.     Interior  actual  graces  are  the  good 


384 


FOURTH   PART.      I.  INSTRUCTION 


thoughts  and  the  holy  inspirations  by  which  God  enlightens  our  mind, 
or  pious  affections  and  desires  which  touch  our  heart.  Picture  to  your- 
selves a  good  mother  assisting  her  child  to  walk.  She  takes  hiin  by 
the  hand,  supports  him,  leads  him,  and  if  it  is  dark  she  lights  the  way. 
It  is  thus  that  God  acts  with  us.  He  enlightens  our  minds  either 
through  His  ministers  and  the  reading  of  good  books,  or  directly  by 
His  holy  inspiration.  He  warms  our  heart,  sustains  it,  eithe:  through 
the  pathetic  exhortations  of  a  preacher  or  a  zealous  confessor,  or 
through  the  sacraments  and  through  remorses  of  conscience.  For  ex- 
ample, you  find  yourselves  in  dangerous  occasions  of  sin,  and  an  interior 
voice  tells  you  to  flee ;  this  is  grace.  You  have  the  misfortune  to  com- 
mit a  grievous  sin,  and  an  interior  voice  prompts  you  to  go  to  confession 
and  do  penance  for  it ;  this  is  grace. 

VI.  Is  this  actual  grace  necessary  for  us.?  It  is.  On  account  of 
the  sin  of  our  first  parents,  we  have  fallen  into  a  state  of  ignorance 
and  weakness,  so  that  of  ourselves  we  can  neither  know  our  duties  nor 
fulfill  them,  if  God  does  not  come  to  our  assistance.  We  are  like  the 
child  still  in  leading  strings,  who  cannot  make  a  step  without  its 
mother  taking  it  by  the  hand.  Not  only  can  we  do  nothing  meritori- 
ous for  our  salvation,  but,  according  to  the  doctrine  of  St.  Paul,  we 
cannot  even  have  a  thought,  except  it  comes  to  us  from  God:  Not  that 
ive  are  sufficient  to  think  anything  of  ourselves,  as  of  ourselves;  but  our 
sufjiciency  is  from  God  (II.  Cor.  iii.  5). 

VII.  What  a  subject  of  humiliation  for  us!  And  at  the  same  time 
what  a  powerful  motive  to  beg  the  help  of  God  in  all  our  needs! 
Although  grace  is  indispensably  necessary  for  us,  nevertheless  God  is 
not  bound  to  grant  it  to  us.  If  God  were  bound  to  grant  us  grace  then 
it  would  be  grace  no  longer,  but  mere  justice,  for  grace  means  a 
gratuitous  gift.  By  original  sin  we  have  lost  all  right  to  grace,  and, 
although  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  dying  upon  the  cross  reopened  for 
us  the  source  of  grace,  it  was  only  through  a  pure  effect  of  His  good- 
ness and  mercy.  Without  derogating  from  His  justice  He  could  have 
permitted  us  to  live  and  die  in  the  abyss  of  perdition,  into  which  we 
had  voluntarily  cast  ourselves.  Thus,  all  the  graces  which  come  to  us 
from  heaven,  we  owe  to  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ ;  through  the  open- 
ings of  His  adorable  wounds  they  flow  upon  us,  and  it  is  to  His  sacred 
wounds  that  we  should  always  have  recourse. 

VIII.  But  God's  love  and  goodness  towards  us  in  this  regard  is  ad- 
mirable.   Although  He  is  not  bound  to  grant  us  grace,  still  He  refuses 


ON   GRACE 


385 


it  to  nobody,  not  even  to  pagans.  There  is  not  one  single  man  upon 
earth  to  whom  He  does  not  grant  all  the  graces  necessary  for  salva- 
tion. It  is  with  the  Heavenly  Father  as  with  the  sun  which  lightens 
and  warms  the  whole  earth  with  its  rays.  Jesus  Christ  died  for  all 
men,  He  desires  all  to  be  saved,  and  He  allows  us  all  to  share  in  His 
merits.  But  if  God  grants  His  grace  to  everybody.  He  does  so  espe- 
cially to  you,  my  brethren,  whom  He  caused  to  be  born  in*  the  bosom  of 
the  true  Church,  who  have  zealous  priests  to  instruct  you,  to  confer 
the  sacraments,  and  to  bring  you  back  into  the  way  of  salvation,  if  you 
have  had  the  misfortune  to  go  astray;  to  you  who  are,  in  one  word, 
privileged  children  of  His  providence.  But  since  God  is  so  generous 
towards  you.  He  will  also  demand  a  strict  account  at  the  last  day. 
The  Holy  Ghost  declares  that  the  more  we  have  received  the  more  will 
be  asked  from  us.  The  useless  servant  was  thrown  into  exterior  dark- 
ness, because  he  did  not  employ  the  talent  which  his  master  had  in- 
trusted to  him,  that  is,  because  he  did  not  cooperate  with  grace. 

IX.  The  abuse  of  grace  is  a  sin,  and  greatly  endangers  salvation. 
Grace  is  the  fruit  of  the  passion  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ.  When 
our  divine  Saviour  wished  to  merit  grace  for  us.  He  had  to  spill  His 
blood  for  us  upon  a  cross.  The  least  grace  has  cost  Him  more  than  the 
creation  of  the  universe.  What  does  the  sinner  do  who  abuses  grace? 
He  renders  useless  the  sufferings  and  death  of  his  God;  he  tramples 
under  foot  His  adorable  blood.     Is  this  not  the  blackest  ingratitude.'' 

Was  it  not  this  abuse  of  grace  of  which  the  Lord  complained  when 
He  said  :  Woe  to  thee,  Corozain!  Woe  to  thee,  Bethsaida!  For  if  in 
Tyre  and  in  Sidon  had  been  wrought  the  mighty  works  that  have  been 
wrought  in  you,  they  would  have  done  penance  long  ago,  sitting  in  sack- 
cloth and  ashes  (Lukex.  13)  ;  that  is  to  say  :  Woe  to  you,  sinners,  who 
persevere  in  the  way  of  perdition,  who  refuse  to  convert  yourselves 
and  who  abuse  my  grace!  Because  the  judgment  which  you  shall 
have  to  undergo  some  day  will  be  dreadful ;  and  if  you  forsake  the 
Lord,  the  Lord  will  forsake  you  in  turn. 

/  have  done.  He  says,  all  I  could  to  heal  Babylon  from  its  evils, 
but  it  did  not  wish  to  proft  by  my  cares.  I  shall,  therefore,  abandon 
her  to  her  faith,  and  I  shall  not  rem.ember  it  any  longer,  even  in  the 
midst  of  its  greatest  misfortunes  (Jer.  li.).  What  is  there  that  I 
ought  to  do  more  to  my  vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done  to  it?  Was  it 
that  I  looked  that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes,  and  it  hath  brought 
forth  wild  grapes?  And  now  I  will  show  you  what  I  will  do  to  my 
25 


386  FOURTH   PART.      I.   INSTRUCTION 

vineyard:  I  will  take  away  the  hedge  thereof^  and  it  shall  be  wasted; 
I  will  break  down  the  wall  thereof^  and  it  shall  be  trodden  down. 
And  I  will  make  it  desolate^  it  shall  not  be  pruned  and  it  shall  not  be 
digged;  but  briars  and  thorns  shall  come  up,  and  I  will  command  the 
clouds  to  rain  no  rain  upon  it  (Is.  v.  4—6).  In  these  words  it  is  easy 
to  read  the  history  of  the  sinner  whom  God  has  overwhelmed  with 
favors  for  a  long  time,  and  whom  He  at  last  abandons  to  his  fate, 
because  he  continues  to  draw  no  fruit  from  His  favors. 

But  the  most  terrible  example  of  the  abuse  of  grace  is  what  we 
read  in  the  Gospel  in  regard  to  the  ungrateful  city  of  Jerusalem.  One 
day  our  Lord  being  about  to  enter  this  city,  and  foreseeing  the  little 
fruit  which  it  would  draw  from  His  visit,  cried  out :  Ah!  thou  un- 
grateful and  perfidious  city,  if  thou  hadst  known  how  to  appreciate 
what  could  serve  thy  peace  and  happiness!  But  thou  hast  persisted  in 
thy  blindness  and  I  announce  to  thee  that  thy  end  is  near,  and  that  the 
time  shall  come  when  thy  enemies  shall  surround  thee,  and  cast  a 
trench  about  thee,  and  compass  thee  to  the  groiind,  and  straiten  thee  on 
every  side.  They  shall  beat  thee  to  the  ground,  and  tJiy  children  who 
are  in  thee;  and  they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  a  stone  upon  a  stone; 
because  thou  hast  not  known  the  time  of  thy  visitation  (Luke  xix. 
42—44).  This  prophecy  was  literally  fulfilled;  Jerusalem  was  totally 
destroyed,  and  its  inhabitants  dispersed  among  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth. 

Ah!  my  brethren,  let  us  fear  lest  the  same  punishment  may  befall 
us ;  let  us  fear  lest  God,  tired  of  our  lukewarmness  and  our  indiffer- 
ence, may  withdraw  Himself  from  us  and  permit  us  to  fall  into  hard- 
ness of  heart  and  final  impenitence.  Such  are  the  deplorable  con- 
sequences of  the  abuse  of  grace. 

Let  each  one  examine  his  conscience  and  see  what  fruit  he  has 
drawn  from  all  the  graces  he  has  received,  from  the  many  good  inspi- 
rations sent  him  by  God,  from  so  many  confessions  and  communions, 
from  jubilees  and  missions.  O  my  God,  I  acknowledge  that  I  have 
profited  very  little  by  Thy  goodness  and  mercy  towards  me.  Alas! 
how  many  pagans  and  infidels  would  have  become  saints  if  they 
would  have  had  the  hundredth  part  of  the  graces  that  were  granted  to 
me!  Pardon,  O  my  God,  my  malice  and  my  ingratitude!  In  future 
it  shall  be  different,  and  if  Thou  deignest  to  grant  me  Thy  favors,  I 
shall  try  to  profit  better  by  them  and  to  be  a  devoted  and  obedient 
child.     Amen. 


ON  THE  SACRAMENTS  IN  GENERAL  ^gy 

II.     INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Sacraments  in  General 

In  my  last  instruction  I  spoke  of  grace,  of  its  nature,  its  different 
kinds,  its  necessity,  and  the  obligation  of  cooperating  with  it.  To- 
day I  shall  speak  of  the  means  of  which  God  makes  use  to  confer  grace 
upon  us,  that  is,  the  sacraments.  If  there  are  so  many  Christians 
who  have  little  respect  for  the  sacraments  and  who  rarely  receive 
them,  whence  does  it  come,  if  it  is  not  because  they  do  not  know  the 
value  of  these  helps  to  salvation?  The  sacraments  are  like  so  many 
channels  through  which  grace  flows  into  our  souls. 

I.  A  sacrament  is  an  outward  sign  instituted  by  Jesus  Christ  to 
give  grace  to  the  soul.  An  outward  sig-n  is  anything  that  falls  under 
our  senses  indicative  of  something  that  does  not  fall  under  the 
senses.  Thus,  a  word  is  the  sign  of  a  thought,  and  smoke  is  the  indi- 
cation of  fire. 

In  each  sacrament  there  is  something  outward  which  can  be  seen, 
heard,  or  touched.  In  baptism  the  water  poured  on  the  head  of  the 
child,  and  the  words  which  the  minister  pronounces  at  the  same  time, 
constitute  the  outward  sign.  In  confirmation,  it  is  chrism  and  the 
words  of  the  bishop.  In  the  Holy  Eucharist,  it  is  the  bread  and 
the  wine,  and  the  words  :  This  is  My  body ;  this  is  My  blood.  These 
outward  signs  represent  to  us  or  make  known  to  us  the  inner  and 
invisible  effects  which  the  sacraments  produce  in  the  soul. 

II.  In  each  sacrament  three  things  are  essential :  the  matter,  the 
form,  and  the  intention  of  the  minister. 

The  matter  is  the  sensible  thing,  the  action,  as  the  water  in  bap- 
tism, the  holy  chrism  in  confirmation,  and  the  bread  and  wine  in  the 
Eucharist. 

The  form  consists  of  the  words  which  the  minister  pronounces  :  I 
baptize  thee,  I  confirm  thee,  This  is  My  body,  this  is  My  blood. 

The  intention  or  the  will  which  the  minister  has  to  administer 
a  sacrament. 

These  three  things  are  absolutely  necessary  in  each  sacrament,  and 
if  one  is  wanting  the  sacrament  is  null. 

Besides  these  three  indispensable  conditions,  there  are  in  the  ad- 
ministration  of  a   sacrament   what   we  call   the   ceremonies^   that  is. 


388 


FOURTH   PART.      II.   INSTRUCTION 


certain  exterior  rites,  certain  practices  or  prayers  which  the  Church  has 
established  to  inspire  the  faithful  with  more  respect  and  devotion. 
The  ceremonies  form  only  the  accessory  part,  and  they  can  be  short- 
ened or  even  omitted  in  case  of  necessity. 

III.  All  the  sacraments  were  instituted  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  it 
is  very  evident  that  they  could  only  be  instituted  by  Him.  Indeed, 
God  alone  being  the  author  and  master  of  grace.  He  alone  can  give  to 
exterior  signs  the  virtue  to  produce  grace.  This  is  an  article  of  faith, 
because  the  holy  Council  of  Trent  condemns  any  one  w^ho  would 
maintain  the  contrary  (Sess.  iii.  i).  Jesus  Christ  is  not  only  the  au- 
thor of  the  sacraments,  but  He  is  also  their  first  and  principal  minister, 
for  the  priest  who  administers  them  is  only  the  medium  and  the  rep- 
resentative of  the  Saviour ;  and  far  from  acting  in  his  own  naine, 
he  acts  only  in  the  name  of  Christ.  Thus,  as  St.  Augustine  said  : 
Whether  Peter  baptizes,  whether  Paul  baptizes,  whether  Judas  bap- 
tizes, it  is  always  Jesus  Christ  who  baptizes.  Whence  it  follows  that 
the  unworthiness  of  the  minister  cannot  affect  either  the  validity  of 
the  sacraments  or  its  efficacy.  A  minister,  in  the  state  of  mortal 
sin,  would  render  himself  guilty  of  an  awful  profanation  if  he  ad- 
minister the  sacraments  in  such  an  unfortunate  state  ;  but  the  sacra- 
ments will  not  be  less  good  and  efficacious  for  the  persons  who  receive 
them. 

IV.  The  sacraments  which  Christ  has  instituted  are  seven  in  num- 
ber, namely:  Baptism,  Confirmation,  Holy  Eucharist,  Penance,  Ex- 
treme Unction,  Holy  Orders,  and  Matrimony.  This  is  also  an  article 
of  faith  defined  by  the  Church,  and  he  would  sin  grievously  who 
would  maintain  that  there  are  more  than  seven  or  less  than  seven. 
These  seven  sacraments  are  represented  by  the  seven  stars  which  St. 
John  saw  in  the  right  of  the  Son  of  Man  (Apoc.  i.  i6). 

Why  did  Christ  fix  the  number  of  sacraments  at  seven,  and  why 
did  he  not  institute  a  greater  or  a  lesser  number?  To  this  question,  my 
brethren,  I  could  answer,  first,  that  this  is  the  secret  of  His  wisdom  and 
that  we  do  not  need  to  know  it;  nevertheless,  the  Catechism  of  the 
Council  of  Trent  gives  us  a  very  beautiful  and  very  convincing  reason 
for  this,  w^hich  is  derived  from  the  relation  which  exists  between  the 
natural  life  and  supernatural  life.  Seven  things,  says  the  Catechism, 
are  necessary  for  man,  in  order  that  he  may  live  and  employ  usefully 
his  life,  either  for  himself,  or  for  others.  He  must  be  born ;  he  must 
grow ;   he  must  nourish  himself ;  he  must  use  remedies  to  recover  his 


ON  THE  SACRAMENTS  IN  GENERAL 


389 


health  when  he  has  lost  it ;  he  must  regain  his  strength  when  it  has 
been  weakened  by  some  infirmity ;  there  must  be  magistrates  to 
govern  society ;  finally,  mankind  must  perpetuate  itself  through  the 
legitimate  generation  of  children. 

It  is  the  same  in  spiritual  life.  As  we  are  born  in  a  state  of  death 
we  are  in  need  of  a  new  birth,  and  it  is  baptism  which  gives  us  this. 
After  the  regeneration  in  the  baptismal  font,  we  are  still  weak  like 
a  new-born  child;  confirmation  gives  us  strength  and  the  growth 
which  the  soul  needs.  The  Holy  Eucharist  is  the  food  of  the  soul; 
penance  heals  it  from  the  wounds  which  sin  causes ;  extreme  unction 
procures  to  it  the  help  necessary  in  the  times  of  illness ;  holy  orders 
create  spiritual  magistrates,  that  is,  priests;  and  marriage  gives  chil- 
dren to  the  Church. 

How  great  is  the  goodness  of  God  towards  men,  and  how  His  wis- 
dom shines  forth  in  all  His  works! 

V.  Why  did  Jesus  Christ  institute  the  sacraments?  There  are  sev- 
eral reasons:  ist.  To  assist  the  weakness  and  infirmity  of  our  nature 
w^hich  hardly  can  elevate  itself  to  the  knowledge  of  spiritual  things 
except  by  the  means  of  material  or  sensible  things. 

2d.  To  remove  from  our  mind  all  doubt,  all  perplexity,  in  giving 
to  us  an  easy  and  sure  mark  which  permits  to  us  to  recognize  whether 
we  have  received  the  grace  and  whether  the  fruits  of  the  passion  have 
been  applied  to  us. 

3d.  To  unite  all  the  members  of  His  Church  by  exterior  bonds,  the 
practice  of  the  same  worship,  and  to  distinguish  the  worthy  faithful 
from  those  who  are  not. 

4th.  The  principal  reason  why  our  Saviour  has  instituted  the  sac- 
raments is  to  sanctify  men,  that  is,  to  confer  upon  them  the  graces 
which  they  need  for  their  eternal  salvation. 

Indeed,  my  brethren,  and  this  is  something  very  worthy  of  remark, 
the  sacraments  are  not  only  exterior  signs  or  symbols  of  grace,  but 
they  also  operate  what  they  signify,  that  is,  that  they  produce  through 
themselves  and  through  their  own  power  the  graces  which  sanctify 
men,  provided  that  no  obstacle  is  put  to  them.  Here  lies  the  essential 
difference  between  the  sacraments,  on  the  one  hand,  and  prayer  or 
good  works,  on  the  other.  Prayer  and  good  works,  however  good  and 
perfect  they  may  be,  cannot  produce  grace,  they  can  obtain  it  for  us 
from  the  divine  mercy,  whilst  the  sacraments  produce  grace  by  them- 
selves, as  the  sun  produces  both  light  and  heat.    I  have  added,  provided 


39° 


FOURTH   PART.      II.    INSTRUCTION 


no  obstacle  is  put  them.  For  it  is  with  the  grace  of  the  sacraments  as 
■with  the  rays  of  the  sun  which  cannot  lighten  a  dark  place,  unless 
some  opening  is  made,  or  as  with  the  earth  which  produces  only  in  so 
far  as  it  is  well  prepared. 

VI.  But  the  sacraments  do  not  all  produce  grace  in  the  same  man- 
ner. Some  give  us  sanctifying  grace,  when  we  have  lost  it;  and 
•others  increase  it  in  us.  The  sacraments  which  give  sanctifying  grace 
are  baptism  and  penance ;  baptism  in  effacing  original  sin,  and  pen- 
ance in  remitting  both  the  mortal  and  venial  sins  which  we  have 
committed  since  baptism.  These  sacraments  are  called  sacraments  of 
the  dead^  not  that  one  must  be  physically  dead  when  receiving  them,  be- 
cause, then,  they  could  do  us  no  good,  but  because  they  restore  the  life  of 
grace  to  those  whose  soul  is  dead  through  sin.  The  other  sacraments 
do  not  give  sanctifying  grace,  because  the  recipient  must  be  in  the 
state  of  sanctifying  grace  before  receiving  them,  else  he  commits  a 
sacrilege.  But  although  they  do  not  give  sanctifying  grace  to  us, 
they  increase  it  in  our  soul,  render  us  more  agreeable  to  God,  and 
make  us  attain  a  higher  degree  of  holiness  and  justice.  This  is  why 
they  are  called  sacraments  of  the  living.  These  sacraments  are :  con- 
firmation, the  Holy  Eucharist,  extreme  unction,  holy  orders,  and 
matrimony. 

Besides  sanctifying  grace,  the  sacraments  produce  also  certain 
actual  graces  which  God  has  promised  to  grant  to  those  who  receive 
them  with  the  proper  dispositions.  These  are  what  we  call  sacra- 
mental graces,  because  they  correspond  to  the  nature  of  each  sacrament, 
and  are  the  proper  and  specific  effects  thereof.  Thus,  confirmation 
confers  the  particular  graces  to  profess  and  defend  the  faith  when  the 
occasion  requires  it ;  extreme  unction  strengthens  the  sick  against 
the  pains  of  illness  and  the  temptations  of  the  devil  at  the  hour  of 
death;  holy  orders  to  fulfill  in  a  worthy  manner  sacred  functions  and 
to  labor  with  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls  ;  matrimony,  to  sanctify  the 
conjugal  union,  to  assist  married  people  to  perform  the  duties  and 
to  bear  in  a  Christian  manner  the  trials  of  their  state,  and  to  raise  their 
children  in  the  fear  of  God. 

VII.  What  benefits,  what  a  treasure  for  a  Christian  soul  are  the 
sacraments  of  the  Church !  And  how  guilty  would  we  be  if  they 
did  not  excite  in  our  souls  the  most  lively  sentiments  of  gratitude,  of 
respect,  and  of  love!  And,  nevertheless,  we  have  not  mentioned  all 
the  precious  advantages  which  they  contain. 


ON  THE  SACRAMENTS  IN  GENERAL  ^91 

Apart  from  grace,  of  which  the  sacraments  are  the  fruitful  source, 
there  are  three  sacraments  which  produce  another  hardly  less  wonder- 
ful effect,  and  which  is  an  indelible  character,  that  is,  a  distinctive 
mark  or  a  seal,  which  can  never  be  blotted  out,  imprinted  upon  the 
soul  of  the  one  who  receives  them,  and  distinguishing  him  eternally 
from  those  who  have  not  received  it.  These  three  sacraments  are 
baptism,  confirmation,  and  holy  orders.  Baptism  imprints  upon  the 
soul  the  character  of  Christian  and  child  of  God;  confirmation, 
that  of  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  holy  orders,  that  of  minister  of 
God.  These  various  characters  are  like  so  many  noble  decorations 
that  shine  upon  our  breast.  Those  who  have  received  only  baptism 
have  received  only  one,  the  confirmed  have  two,  and  priests  have 
all  three.  So,  also,  in  the  court  of  a  king  there  are  three  sorts  of  per- 
sons; subjects  who  serve  the  king,  soldiers  and  officers  who  combat 
for  him,  magistrates  and  ministers  who  govern  his  states,  and  who  all 
are  distinguished  from  one  another  by  costumes  or  by  different  marks 
of  honor.  The  three  characters  which  these  sacraments  imprint  shall 
form  in  heaven  a  kind  of  hierarchy,  the  first  class  of  which  will  be 
composed  of  those  who  have  only  the  seal  of  baptism ;  the  second 
of  those  who  shall  have  that  of  baptism  and  confirmation;  and  the 
most  elevated,  of  those  who  shall  be  adorned  %vith  the  three  seals  of 
baptism,  confirmation,  and  of  holy  orders.  What  a  happiness  and  a 
glory  for  those  who,  through  their  virtues  and  merits,  can  present  them 
pure  and  spotless  at  the  judgment  seat  of  God!  But  as  these  charac- 
ters shall  be  beautiful  and  honorable  for  the  elect  in  heaven,  so  much 
shall  they  be  the  shame  and  the  disgrace  of  the  damned.  In  hell,  the 
Christians  who  will  be  marked  with  the  seal  of  baptism  shall  be  in 
much  worse  state  than  even  the  pagans  and  unbelievers  who  did  not  re- 
ceive it, —  those  who  shall  wear  the  seal  of  confirmation  will  be  doubly 
punished  for  having  abused  the  graces  of  baptism  and  confirmation, 
and  these  two  characters  shall  be  for  them  as  two  scars  of  ignominy. 
What  a  shame  and  what  chastisements  for  those  priests  who  would  be 
so  unfortunate  as  to  be  damned  and  to  soil  the  threefold  character 
with  which  they  were  honored ! 

Such  is,  my  brethren,  the  second  effect  produced  in  us  by  the 
three  sacraments  of  baptism,  confirmation,  and  holy  orders,  and  which 
they  produce  independently  from  all  other  effects.  A  character  of  honor 
for  some,  a  character  of  shame  for  others,  but  an  indelible  character  for 
all,  and  which  shall  last  as  long  as  eternity  itself ;  hence  it  is  that  these 


392 


FOURTH   PART.      III.  INSTRUCTION 


three  sacraments  can  be  received  but  once.  God  grant  that  we  may 
always  preserve  without  stain  the  characters  imprinted  upon  our  souls, 
and  that  at  the  moment  of  death  we  may  find  ourselves  all  marked 
with  the  seal  of  the  blessed!     Amen. 


III.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Baptism 

Baptism  is  the  first  and  most  necessary  of  all  the  sacraments. 
Without  baptism  we  have  no  right  to  receive  any  other  sacrament, 
and  without  baptism  we  cannot  enter  heaven. 

Although  you  have  all  received  baptism  already,  I  shall  still  speak 
to  you  about  it  with  certain  particulars,  because  when  you  were  bap- 
tized you  were  not  old  enough  to  understand  and  to  appreciate  the 
dignity  of  this  sacrament,  nor  the  excellence  of  the  grace  which  it 
confers,  nor  the  effects  which  it  produces  in  the  soul,  nor  the  obliga- 
tions which  you  contracted. 

I.  ^'  Baptism  is  a  sacrament  which  effaces  original  sin  and  makes 
us  children  of  God  and  of  the  Church.** 

1st.  Baptism  is  a  sacrament,  because  it  contains  the  three  essential 
conditions.  In  the  preceding  instruction,  you  have  been  told  that  a 
sacrament  is  an  outward  sign  instituted  by  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 
to  give  grace  to  the  soul.  Now,  baptism  is  a  sensible  sign  which  con- 
sists in  the  ablution  of  the  head  of  the  child,  joined  with  the  words  : 
/  baptize  thee,  etc.  This  outward  sign  was  instituted  by  Christ 
when  He  said  to  His  apostles ;  Going,  therefore,  teach  ye  all  nations, 
baptizing"  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  (Matt,  xxviii.  19).  It  was  also  instituted  to  give  grace 
to  our  soul,  because  it  has  the  power  of  effacing  sin  and  of  opening 
heaven  to  us. 

2d.  Baptism  is  a  sacrament  which  remits  original  sin  which  we 
have  contracted  in  Adam,  our  first  father. 

In  the  state  of  nature,  that  is,  from  the  fall  of  Adam  until  Moses, 
there  existed,  as  most  of  the  theologians  teach,  a  remedy  to  efface  this 


ON   BAPTISM 


393 


original  sin.  This  consisted  in  some  exterior  ceremony  by  which  a 
person  manifested  his  faith  in  the  promised  Messiah.  Under  the  law 
of  Moses,  that  is,  from  the  call  of  Abraham  until  the  coming  of  Christ, 
according  to  the  opinion  of  most  Doctors  of  the  Church,  it  was  cir- 
cumcision for  male  children,  who,  according  to  the  law,  should  be 
presented  in  the  temple  the  eighth  day  after  their  birth. 

Under  the  law  of  grace,  it  is  baptism  which  alone  has  the  power 
to  purify  the  soul  from  original  sin  and  to  restore  to  it  the  life  of 
grace,  of  which  it  was  robbed  through  the  disobedience  of  our  first 
parents.  This  is  the  first  and  most  wonderful  effect  of  this  ineffable 
sacrament.  Before  receiving  it,  you  were,  in  the  eyes  of  God,  only 
children  of  wrath  and  malediction;  the  devil  dwelt  in  your  heart,  you 
were  condemned  to  eternal  reprobation.  But  hardly  had  the  baptis- 
mal water  flowed  over  your  forehead  than  you  were  regenerated,  you 
were  bom  to  a  spiritual  life,  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  into  your 
hearts,  and  the  gates  of  heaven  were  reopened  to  you.  What  a  won- 
derful change !     What  a  precious  grace  ! 

Not  only  is  original  sin  effaced  by  baptism,  but  also  all  the 
other  sins  we  might  have  committed  before  receiving  it,  provided, 
however,  we  receive  it  with  the  necessary  dispositions.  Thus,  sup- 
pose a  man  is  baptized  at  the  age  of  t^venty,  thirty,  fifty,  or 
even  eighty  years,  as  often  happens  among  the  pagans  or  infidels, — 
all  the  actual  sins  which  he  has  committed  until  then,  however  griev- 
ous and  numerous  they  may  be,  are  entirely  remitted  along  with 
original  sin.  It  is  sufficient  to  have  the  proper  dispositions.  If 
these  dispositions  are  wanting,  the  person  baptized  would,  it  is  true, 
receive  the  character  of  Christian  ;  but  the  other  effects  of  the  sacra- 
ment, namely,  the  infusion  of  sanctifying  grace  and  the  remission 
of  both  original  and  actual  sin,  would  be  suspended  until  the  recipi- 
ent was  actuated  with  the  sentiments  of  faith,  hope,  charity,  and 
contrition,  which  God  requires  in  baptism  of  adults. 

Baptism  does  still  more  than  remit  sin,  it  remits  also  the  temporal 
punishment  due  to  sin,  punishment  to  be  borne  either  in  this  world  or 
in  the  world  to  come.  If  a  grown-up  person,  newly  baptized,  should 
happen  to  die  before  having  committed  new  sins,  he  would  enter 
heaven  at  once,  without  passing  through  purgatory.  There  is  here  a 
notable  difference  between  baptism  and  penance ;  for,  after  having 
received  the  sacrament  of  penance,  there  remains  for  you,  ordinarily, 
to  undergo  a   temporal    punishment,  hence    the   penance   which    the 


394 


FOURTH   PART.      III.   INSTRUCTION 


priest  imposes  upon  you;  whilst  baptism  purifies  the  soul  entirely 
from  all  its  stains,  remits  all  its  debts  to  the  divine  justice,  and  opens 
heaven  to  it  immediately. 

3d.   Baptism  makes  us  children  of  God  and  of  the  Church. 

It  makes  us  children  of  God,  by  giving  to  us  an  entirely  new  life, 
a  supernatural  and  divine  life,  in  giving  us  the  right  to  call  God  our 
Father,  in  making  us  partakers  of  all  His  graces,  and  the  heirs  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

It  makes  us  children  of  the  Church,  by  incorporating  us  w^ith  it, 
and  by  making  us  partakers  of  all  its  treasures,  such  as  the  sacraments, 
the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  indulgences,  prayers,  and  good  works  of 
all  and  each  of  its  members. 

Did  you  ever  reflect  upon  the  dignity  and  excellence  of  this  sac- 
rament and  on  the  wonderful  effects  it  produces  in  our  soul?  If  a 
great  king  were  to  select  one  among  you  and  adopt  him  as  his  own 
child,  to  make  him  the  heir  of  his  kingdom,  to  elevate  him  on  the 
throne,  how  happy  would  he  not  esteem  himself!  And  what  would 
not  be  his  gratitude  for  such  a  great  benefit !  Such  ought  to  be  our 
sentiments  in  regard  to  the  grace  of  baptism  and  they  should  be  still 
more  lively  and  ardent  because  all  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are 
nothing  in  comparison  with  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Such  were  the 
sentiments  of  the  saints.  St.  Louis,  the  pious  and  illustrious  King  of 
France,  often  said  to  his  courtiers  that  he  preferred  his  character  as 
child  of  God  which  he  received  in  baptism  to  all  the  crowns  of  the 
earth. 

Besides  the  graces  which  baptism  confers  upon  us,  it  imprints  on 
the  soul  an  indelible  character,  that  glorious  character  which  distin- 
guishes us  from  the  pagans  and  infidels,  which  makes  of  the  Christian 
people  a  chosen  race,  a  holy  nation  (II.  Pet.  11.  9);  that  royal  and  sac- 
erdotal character  which  not  only  elevates  us  above  earthly  kings,  by 
making  us  children  of  the  King  of  kings,  but  consecrates  us  in  some 
sort  as  priests  of  the  Most  High,  by  initiating  us  into  the  most  holy 
mysteries;  that  divine  character  which  imprints  upon  our  forehead  the 
feature  of  the  Deity ;  that  immortal  character  which  nothing  can  ever 
destroy,  and  w^hich  shall  be  eternally  our  glory  or  our  shame,  accord- 
ing as  we  shall  have  fulfilled  well  or  ill  our  duties  as  Christians. 

O  Christians,  recognize  your  dignity,  be  thankful  to  the  Lord 
every  day  for  the  grandeur  to  which  he  has  raised  you,  and  may  noth- 
ing  ever    make   you    disown    this    dignity,    neither    the    violence   of 


ON    BAPTISM  3QC 

passions,  nor  the  temptations  of  the  devil,  nor  the  seductions  of  the 
world. 

II.  Is  the  sacrament  of  baptism  necessary  for  salvation?  Yes, 
it  is  absolutely  necessary,  for  Jesus  Christ  has  said  that  unless  a  man 
be  born  again  of  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot  enter  the 
kingdom  of  God  (John  in.  5).  Such  has  always  been  the  teaching 
of  the  Church,  and  we  are  not  permitted  to  have  the  least  doubt 
about  this. 

Pagans,  infidels,  and  Jews,  not  receiving  baptism,  are  not  born 
again  in  Jesus  Christ  and  are,  consequently,  excluded  from  heaven. 
Let  us  not  accuse  God  of  partiality  and  injustice.  God  is  the  master 
of  His  gifts.  He  does  not  owe  eternal  happiness  to  any  one,  and  in- 
stead of  seeking  to  sound  the  depths  of  His  ways  and  to  penetrate 
the  secrets  of  His  wisdom,  let  us  thank  Him  for  His  benefits  towards 
us,  and  let  us  always  be  grateful  for  His  infinite  goodness  and  mercy. 
But  the  unbaptized  are  not  absolutely  excluded  from  heaven,  and 
if  they  faithfully  practice  the  natural  law  engraved  in  their  hearts, 
God  will  find  means  to  bring  them  to  the  true  faith,  and  give  them 
the  grace  of  baptism,  and  He  might  even  work  a  miracle  and  send  an 
angel  from  heaven  to  baptize  them  rather  than  abandon  them.  Such  is 
the  teaching  of  St.  Thomas  of  Aquin,  one  of  the  greatest  doctors  of 
the  Church.  As  to  those  children  who  die  without  baptism,  it  is  very 
probable  that  they  shall  not  have  to  suffer  the  frightful  torments 
reserved  for  the  damned,  nor  the  pains  of  purgatory.  We  may  even 
take  for  granted  that  they  enjoy  a  sort  of  natural  happiness,  but  never 
shall  they  see  God  and  partake  of  the  felicity  of  the  elect.  It  is  a 
great  misfortune  for  these  poor  little  creatures  to  be  deprived  of  the 
sight  of  God.  How  guilty  are,  therefore,  those  parents  who,  by  their 
negligence,  allow  them  to  die  before  having  received  this  sacrament ! 
As  soon  as  a  child  is  born,  the  parents  should  hasten  to  bring  it  to 
the  Church  to  have  it  baptized.  In  some  dioceses  parents  incur  ex- 
communication if,  without  previous  permission,  they  fail  to  bring 
their  children  for  baptism  within  eight  days. 

Is  baptism  so  necessary  that  it  cannot  be  supplied  by  any  means? 
No,  my  brethren;  God  in  His  mercy  has  furnished  all  the  means  neces- 
sary for  salvation.  Baptism  can  be  supplied  in  two  ways ;  either  by 
desire  for  baptism  or  by  martyrdom.  The  desire  for  baptism  must  be 
accompanied  by  a  lively  faith  and  a  perfect  charity.  Thus,  a  pagan,  a 
Jew,  or  an  infidel  would  be  saved,  without  baptism,  provided  that  he 


396 


FOURTH   PART.      III.   INSTRUCTION 


had  the  following  dispositions  :  a  desire  to  convert  himself  to  Chris- 
tianity, a  perfect  love  of  God,  and  an  ardent  desire  to  receive  baptism. 
Martyrdom  consists  in  giving  one's  life  for  Jesus  Christ.  This  was 
very  common  during  the  persecutions  of  the  first  three  centuries  of  the 
Church.  The  first  of  these  baptisms  is  called  baptism  of  desire^  and 
the  second,  which  is  the  most  glorious  of  all,  is  the  baptism  of  blood. 
Such  was  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Innocents,  whom  the  Church  honors 
by  a  public  worship  because  they  were  put  to  death  by  Herod  in 
hatred  of  the  Saviour. 

III.  Who  has  the  power  to  administer  baptism?  In  ordinary 
cases,  the  bishops  and  priests  are  the  ministers  of  baptism.  Deacons 
can  baptize,  but  only  after  having  received  permission  from  the 
bishop.  These  alone  can  baptize  solemnly,  that  is,  with  the  ceremo- 
nies of  the  Church.  But,  in  case  of  necessity,  any  one  has  the  power 
to  baptize.  Baptism  being  of  such  an  absolute  necessity,  God  wills 
that  it  be  easily  received  in  order  that  no  one  may  be  deprived  of  this 
indispensable  means  of  salvation.  Thus,  when  a  child  is  in  danger  of 
death,  and  there  is  no  time  to  call  a  priest,  any  person  present,  man  or 
woman.  Christian  or  infidel.  Catholic  or  heretic,  may  baptize  it.  It  is 
sufficient,  in  this  case,  to  observe  faithfully  what  is  prescribed  by  the 
Church,  and  to  have  the  intention  to  do  what  the  Church  does.  But  if 
there  are  several  persons  present,  this  is  the  order  that  ought  to  be  fol- 
lowed: if  there  is  a  priest  or  some  ecclesiastic  present,  he  ought  to  ad- 
minister baptism;  a  Catholic  should  be  preferred  to  a  non-Catholic;  a 
man  to  a  woman,  except  the  woman  is  better  instructed  than  the  man  ; 
and  any  one  should  be  preferred  before  the  parents  of  the  child.  But 
a  father  or  mother  may  baptize  the  child  in  case  no  one  else  is  present. 
If  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  child  is  alive,  it  should  be  baptized  con- 
ditionally, ^*  If  thou  art  alive.''  ...  In  case  there  is  any  doubt  of 
the  validity  of  the  first  baptism,  the  words  :  ^*  If  thou  art  not  bap- 
tized'' .  .  .  should  be  used.  If  the  child  survives,  it  should  be 
brought  to  the  Church  that  the  ceremonies  of  baptism  may  be  supplied. 

IV.  Every  Christian  should  know  how  to  administer  baptism. 
Natural  water,  that  is,  spring  or  rain  water,  should  be  used,  but  no 
artificial  water,  such  as  water  distilled  from  flowers,  herbs,  fruits,  or 
corrupted  water,  such  as  wash  water.  Blessed  water  should  be  pre- 
ferred if  it  can  be  had. 

The  water  should  be  poured  three  times  in  the  form  of  a  cross  over 
the  head  of  the  person  to  be  baptized,  and  at  the  same  time  the  words 


ON    BAPTISM 


397 


of  baptism  should  be  distinctly  pronounced  :  *^  I  baptize  thee  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.**  These 
words  must  be  pronounced  in  the  correct  order  and  while  pouring  the 
water.  The  same  person  who  pours  the  water  must  also  pronounce 
the  words.  All  these  conditions  are  prescribed  under  pain  of  nullify- 
ing the  sacrament. 

The  water  must  not  only  moisten  the  hair  or  the  covering  upon 
the  child,  but  it  must  touch  the  skin. 

In  baptizing  a  child  in  danger  of  death,  a  person  must  be  careful 
not  to  become  excited.  He  should  recollect  himself  for  a  few  moments 
beforehand,  and  baptize  it  only  once,  and  do  it  with  the  intention 
which  the  Church  has  in  administering  baptism. 

Solemn  baptism,  as  administered  by  the  priests  at  the  baptismal 
font,  is  an  interesting  ceremony,  and  will  form  the  subject  of  the  next 
instruction. 


IV.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Baptism  (  Concluded) 

I.  The  ceremonies  of  baptism  are  fourteen  in  number  and  are 
supposed  to  be  of  apostolic  institution.  They  are  all  of  a  mysterious 
signification. 

1st  Ceremony. —  The  child  that  is  presented  for  baptism  stops  at 
the  door  of  the  Church,  to  show  that,  being  subject  to  the  reign  of  the 
devil  on  account  of  original  sin,  it  is  unworthy  to  enter  the  holy  place. 
The  priest  then  asks  it  what  is  its  desire,  and  the  godfather  or  god- 
mother, in  the  name  of  the  child,  begs  for  the  grace  of  baptism.  The 
priest  then  breathes  three  times  on  the  child's  face,  in  order  to  show 
thereby  that,  as  at  the  creation  of  man,  his  soul  was  infused  by  the 
breath  of  God,  so,  also,  the  child  is  about  to  receive  a  new  life  through 
the  breath  of  grace;  and  just  as  through  the  breathing  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  the  apostles  the  devil  was  driven  out  of  the  possessed,  so,  also, 
it  is  through  the  breathing  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that  the  infernal  spirit 
will  be  driven  out  from  the  heart  of  the  child  that  is  to  be  baptized. 


398 


FOURTH   PART.      IV.   INSTRUCTION 


2d  Ceremony. —  The  second  ceremony  consists  in  giving  to  the 
child  a  name  of  a  saint;  to  offer  to  it  a  model  upon  earth  and  an  inter- 
cessor with  God  in  heaven.  The  parents  and  the  godfathers  should 
choose  this  name.  This  name  should  be  the  name  of  a  saint,  and  it  is 
proper  to  take  the  name  of  a  saint  of  the  New  Testament  in  order  not 
to  imitate  the  Jews  who  choose  only  names  from  the  Old  Testament. 
Do  not  choose  the  names  of  the  great  men  of  the  world,  nor  funny 
names  from  storybooks.  Let  the  name  be  that  of  some  apostle,  mar- 
tyr or  confessor  of  the  Church. 

Sd  Ceremony. —  The  priest  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  the 
shoulders,  on  the  forehead,  and  on  the  breast  of  the  child ;  on  the 
shoulders,  to  show  that  a  Christian  must  carry  the  cross  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  on  the  forehead,  to  show  that  he  must  never  be  ashamed  of 
the  sign  of  the  cross ;  on  the  breast,  to  show  that  he  must  love  the 
cross  with  all  his  heart. 

Jf^th  Ceremony. —  The  priest  puts  his  hand  on  the  head  of  the  child, 
to  signify  that  God  will  soon  become  its  master  and  to  take  possession 
of  its  whole  being,  and  that  in  future  its  body,  soul,  and  all  its  facul- 
ties must  be  consecrated  to  Him  and  devoted  to  His  service. 

5th  Ceremony. —  The  priest  puts  a  few  grains  of  blessed  salt  into 
the  mouth  of  the  child,  to  signify  that  all  its  actions  and  all  its  words 
must  be  regulated  by  wisdom,  discretion,  and  prudence,  of  which  salt 
is  an  emblem. 

6th  Ceremony. —  The  child  is  taken  into  the  Church  to  the  bap- 
tismal font,  where  the  godparents  recite,  in  its  name,  the  Apostles' 
Creed  and  the  Lord's  Prayer,  to  show  that  the  Church  receives  only 
those  into  her  bosom  who  have  the  faith  and  the  spirit  of  prayer. 

7th  Ceremony. —  The  priest  next  applies  spittle  to  the  nostrils  and 
ears  of  the  child,  to  imitate  the  action  of  Christ  when  he  gave  speech 
and  hearing  to  the  man  born  deaf  and  dumb,  and  to  signify  that  the 
ears  of  the  person  baptized  must  be  always  open  to  hear  the  word 
of  God. 

8th  Ceremony. —  On  coming  to  the  baptismal  font,  the  priest  asks 
the  child  three  times  whether  it  renounces  Satan,  all  his  pomps  and 
all  his  works,  and  whether  it  is  willing'  to  attach  itself  solely  to  yesus 
Christ;  and  only  on  the  affirmative  answer  of  the  godparents  who 
promise  in  the  child's  name,  the  priest  consents  to  administer  baptism. 

9th  Ceremony. —  The  priest  next  anoints  the  breast  and  shoulders 
of  the  child  with  the  holy  oil  of  Catechumens,  to  signify  that  it  must 


ON    BAPTISM  -go 

be  prepared  to  combat  the  enemies  of  salvation,  and  to  carry  with  joy 
the  yoke  of  the  Gospel. 

10th  Ceremony. —  The  priest  then  requires  from  the  sponsors  a 
public  profession  of  faith  in  the  principal  articles  of  the  Creed;  Do 
you  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty  .  .  .  Do  you  believe  in 
jfesus  Christ,  His  only  Son  .  .  .  Do  you  believe  in  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church? 

It  is  only  after  all  these  pledges,  these  unctions  and  exorcisms,  that 
the  priest  finally  permits  the  waters  of  baptism  to  fall  on  the  head  of 
the  child.  The  water  is  poured  on  the  head  of  the  child  and  the 
solemn  words  of  baptism  are  pronounced  :  "  I  baptize  thee  in  the  name 
of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

11th  Ceremony. —  After  baptism  the  priest  anoints  the  child  on  the 
forehead  with  holy  chrism,  to  show  that  as  in  olden  times  the  prophets, 
the  kings,  and  the  priests  were  anointed,  so,  also,  by  baptism,  the  child 
is  anointed  prophet,  priest,  and  king;  prophet,  through  the  lights  which 
faith  gives  to  him  ;  priest,  to  offer  to  God  the  continual  sacrifice  of  his 
body  and  soul;  king,  to  subdue  his  passions  and  to  rule  them  as  master. 

12th  Ceremony. —  The  priest  then  covers  the  child  with  a  white 
linen  which  represents  the  white  garment  given  in  the  primitive  Church 
to  the  newly  baptized  on  Holy  Saturday,  and  which  they  wore  during 
the  entire  week  of  Easter.  This  white  garment  represents  the  inno- 
cence or  state  of  grace  conferred  by  the  baptismal  water,  and  the 
priest  in  giving  it  exhorts  the  child  to  keep  it  pure  to  the  end  of  his 
life,  in  order  that  he  may  appear  in  the  same  spotless  robe  before  the 
judgment  seat  of  Jesus  Christ. 

13th  Ceremony. —  The  priest  next  places  a  lighted  candle  in  the 
hand  of  the  child,  to  signify  that  he  must  not  walk  in  the  way  of  dark- 
ness, but  in  the  light  of  a  pure  and  holy  life. 

IJfth  Ceremony. —  Lastly,  the  priest  gives  the  child  his  blessing; 
"Go  in  peace,  and  may  the  Lord  be  with  thee.** 

II.  Such  are  the  touching  ceremonies  of  baptism,  full  of  meaning 
and  well  calculated  to  impress  us  with  the  dignity  of  the  sacrament. 

The  promises  made  in  baptism  are  all-important,  but  since  the 
child  is  not  in  a  condition  to  answer  for  itself,  the  sponsors  answer 
for  it.  In  its  name,  they  renounce  the  devil  and  all  his  works  and 
pomps.  To  renounce  Satan  is  to  renounce  the  devil,  the  enemy  of 
man's  salvation,  to  promise  to  abandon  his  service  forever.  To  re- 
nounce the  works  of  Satan  is  to  renounce  sin,  the  great  and  only  evil 


400 


FOURTH   PART.      IV.   INSTRUCTION 


of  the  world  —  sin,  the  work  of  the  devil  and  the  enemy  of  God.  To 
renounce  the  pomps  of  Satan  is  to  renounce  the  vain  and  seductive 
glitter  of  sinful  pleasures  and  the  false  splendors  of  worldly  honors. 
It  is  to  renounce  the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh,  the  concupiscence  of 
the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life. 

Ah!  my  brethren,  from  the  first  moment  of  your  baptism  you 
ought  to  have  belonged  entirely  to  God;  and  perhaps  the  greatest 
number  of  your  days  has  been  passed  in  the  forgetfulness  of  God,  in 
the  contempt  of  His  sacred  laws,  and  under  the  power  of  the  devil, 
His  most  bitter  enemy.  Ah !  if  you  have  been  unfaithful  to  the 
promises  of  baptism  in  the  past,  renew  those  sacred  and  solemn  en- 
gagements, and  be  more  faithful  in  future. 

At  the  time  of  your  baptism  the  promises  were  made  by  your 
sponsors  in  your  name,  but,  at  the  time  of  your  first  communion,  you 
renewed  these  baptismal  promises  for  yourselves  and  relieved  your 
sponsors  of  all  further  responsibility.  A  fervent  Christian  will  renew 
his  baptismal  vows  often  during  his  life,  especially  on  the  anniversary 
of  his  baptism,  after  a  general  confession,  at  a  spiritual  retreat,  during 
a  jubilee,  and  on  other  occasions  of  his  life. 

III.  Sponsors  in  baptism  are  those  who  present  the  child  to  be 
baptized,  and  who  answer  to  the  priest  and  to  the  Church  for  the 
child.  The  custom  of  having  sponsors  at  the  baptism  of  children 
dates  back  to  the  apostolic  times,  and  it  is  mentioned  by  St.  Dionysius. 
The  Church  requires  sponsors  in  the  baptism  of  infants  as  a  security 
and  a  pledge  for  the  fidelity  to  the  promises  of  baptism,  and,  as  their 
name  indicates,  the  sponsors  answer  for  the  child  and  take  upon  them- 
selves the  responsibility  of  seeing  that  it  is  instructed  in  the  Christian 
religion.  Sponsors  are  also  called  godparents,  godfathers  or  godmoth- 
ers, and,  as  that  name  sufficiently  indicates,  they  become  the  spiritual 
fathers  and  mothers  of  their  godchildren  and  are  obliged  to  see  that 
the  children  are  instructed  in  the  faith  and  raised  to  a  true  Christian 
life,  if  the  parents  of  the  children  neglect  this  duty.  The  responsibil- 
ity of  godparents  ceases  when  the  children  renew  their  baptismal  vows 
at  the  age  of  discretion  or  at  first  communion. 

How  many  there  are  who  assume  the  title  of  godparents  without 
knowing  the  duties  and  the  responsibilities  attached  to  it  ? 

It  is  important  to  choose  good  sponsors  in  baptism.  One  who  has 
not  attained  the  age  of  reason,  or  a  non-Catholic,  or  a  Catholic  who  is 
ignorant  of  the  truths  of  his  religion,  cannot  be  a  sponsor  in  baptism. 


ON  CONFIRMATION 


401 


No  Catholic  of  bad  life  should  ever  be  chosen  as  sponsor,  for  he  would 
be  the  first  to  scandalize  the  godchild  whom  he  has  promised  to 
instruct  and  guard  in  the  true  way  of  salvation. 

Sponsors  in  baptism  contract  a  spiritual  relationship  or  affinity 
with  their  godchildren,  and  this  affinity  is  acknowledged  by  the 
Church,  for  it  forbids  marriage  between  godchildren  and  godparents. 
The  Church  allows  only  one  godfather  and  one  godmother  to  the  child 
in  baptism,  but  a  godfather  for  a  boy  and  a  godmother  for  a  girl 
is  sufficient. 

A  good  Christian  mother,  who  has  given  birth  to  a  child,  will 
repair  to  the  Church  as  soon  as  possible,  to  thank  God  for  her  happy 
•delivery,  to  offer  to  God  her  new-born  child,  and  to  receive  the  bless- 
ing of  the  priest.  This  is  not  a  precept,  but  it  is  a  very  pious  and 
ancient  custom.  It  is  an  imitation  of  what  was  practiced  by  the  Jew- 
ish people,  according  to  the  law  of  purification  established  by  Moses. 
The  blessed  Virgin  herself,  although  she  was  not  bound  to  conform  to 
this  law,  because  she  had  contracted  no  stain  in  childbirth,  wished 
to  submit  herself  to  it,  and  it  is  quite  becoming  for  a  Christian 
mother  to  imitate  this  beautiful  example. 

Remember  the  precious  graces  which  you  have  received  in  bap- 
tism, and  never  lose  sight  of  the  solemn  engagements  which  you  have 
-contracted  towards  God,  which  will,  one  day,  be  either  your  condem- 
nation or  your  glory.     Amen. 


V.     INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation 

I.  Confirmation  is  a  sacrament  in  which  we  receive  the  Holy 
<jhost  with  the  abundance  of  His  graces  to  make  us  strong  and  perfect 
Christians. 

Confirmation  is  a  sacrament,  because  it  is  an  outward  sign  insti- 
tuted by  Jesus  Christ  to  give  grace  to  the  soul.  This  outward  sign 
consists  in  the  unction  with  holy  chrism  which  is  made  on  the  fore- 
head and  in  the  words  which  accompany  it :  *^  I  sign  thee  with  the 
sign  of  the  cross  and  confirm  thee  with  the  chrism  of  salvation,  in 
26 


402 


FOURTH   PART.      V.   INSTRUCTION 


the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.* 
The  unction  is  the  matter  of  the  sacrament,  according  to  the  common 
opinion  of  theologians ;  the  words  constitute  the  form  of  the  sacra- 
ment. This  outward  sign  has  been  instituted  by  Jesus  Christ, 
because  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  we  read  that  the  apostles  con- 
firmed the  new  Christians  :  Then  they  laid  their  hands  upon  them, 
and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost  (Acts  viii.  17).  They  could  not 
have  done  this,  if  this  sacrament  had  not  been  instituted  by  their 
Divine  Master,  because  only  God  can  attach  to  material  and  sensible 
objects  the  virtue  to  produce  grace. 

Moreover,  confirmation  was  instituted  to  give  grace  to  the  soul. 
Confirmation  gives  us  the  Holy  Ghost  with  the  abundance  of  His 
graces  to  make  us  strong  and  perfect  Christians.  In  baptism,  indeed, 
we  also  receive  this  sanctifying  spirit  who,  in  cleansing  us  from  origi- 
nal sin,  made  us  the  friends  of  God  and  temples  of  the  Deity;  but  in 
confirmation  we  receive  Him  with  greater  abundance  of  graces.  In 
baptism  we  are  regenerated,  we  are  born  to  a  spiritual  life,  we  receive 
the  life  of  grace ;  in  confirmation  we  are  made  strong,  confirmed  in 
this  new  life.  After  baptism  we  are  still  feeble  in  virtue,  like  chil- 
dren who  have  little  strength  to  walk ;  after  confirmation  we  are 
strong,  robust,  and  capable  of  resisting  even  the  strongest  trials ;  our 
faith  is  enlivened,  and  we  are  made  strong  in  the  grace  received  at 
baptism  to  practice  the  maxims  of  Christianity.  This  is  why  this  sac- 
rament is  called  confirmation. 

II.  The  first  efiFect  which  confirmation  produces  in  us  is  to  give  us 
the  Holy  Ghost  with  the  abundance  of  His  graces.  These  particular 
graces,  which  we  call  gifts,  are  seven  in  number  :  wisdom,  understand- 
ing, counsel,  fortitude,  knowledge,  piety,  and  the  fear  of  God. 

Wisdom  detaches  us  from  the  goods  and  pleasures  of  this  world,  to 
make  us  long  solely  for  the  things  of  God. 

Understanding  elevates  our  mind  and  assists  it  to  understand  and 
appreciate  the  w^onders  of  faith,  as  well  as  all  the  truths  revealed,  at 
least  as. far  as  we  are  capable. 

Counsel  disposes  us  to  choose,  in  all  things,  the  better  part  with  a 
view  solely  to  our  sanctification,  and  directs  us  in  the  choice  of  what 
can  most  contribute  to  God's  glory. 

Fortitude  upholds  us  in  dangers  and  temptations,  and  assists  us  to 
triumph  over  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  salvation  which  daily  present 
themselves. 


ON   CONFIRMATION  ^O^ 

Kn<ywledge  teaches  us  to  distinguish  good  from  evil,  and  engraves 
the  law  of  God  deep  in  our  hearts. 

Piety  makes  us  love  prayer,  the  sacred  word  of  God,  and  the  sacra- 
ments, and  moves  us  to  fulfill  our  religious  duties  with  zeal  and  fervor. 

Finally,  the  fear  of  God  penetrates  us  with  a  holy  fear  for  the 
judgments  of  God,  and  disposes  us  to  avoid  carefully  all  that  might 
render  us  displeasing  to  Him. 

God  has  often  manifested  by  miracles  the  extraordinary  coming  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  into  the  soul  through  the  sacrament  of  confirmation. 
We  have  a  striking  example  when  on  Pentecost  the  apostles  received 
the  gift  of  tongues,  prophecies,  and  miracles.  These  wonderful  ex- 
amples were  so  frequent  in  the  primitive  Church,  that  Simon  the 
Magician,  who  was  astonished  at  them,  offered  money  to  the  apostles, 
in  order  that  they  might  communicate  to  him  the  power  of  working 
wonders,  imagining  that  they  were  in  possession  of  some  secret  which 
was  unknown  to  him.  But  St.  Peter  answered  him  with  indignation  : 
Keep  thy  money  thyself  to  perish  with  thee,  because  thou  hast  thought 
that  the  gift  of  God  may  be  purchased  with  money  (Acts  viii.  20). 

These  wonderful  gifts  which  the  Holy  Ghost  spreads  in  our  souls, 
at  confirmation,  render  ns  perfect  Christians,  by  aiding  us  to  advance 
more  and  more  in  virtue,  by  giving  to  us  particular  strength  to  prac- 
tice religion  even  in  the  most  painful  circumstances;  and  by  filling  us 
with  vigor  and  courage  to  confess  and  defend  our  faith  even  at  the 
risk  of  our  lives.  There  are,  indeed,  circumstances  where  public 
confession  of  one's  faith  is  necessary,  as  in  times  of  persecution,  or  in 
the  company  of  unbelievers,  or  of  heretics  who  blaspheme  and  out- 
rage the  true  faith.  Not  to  declare  oneself  as  a  Christian  and  as  a 
child  of  the  Church,  in  such  circumstances,  would,  in  some  degree,  be 
disowning  our  belief.  In  confirmation,  we  receive  the  strength  and 
courage  which  enables  us  to  despise  mockery  and  sarcasm  of  the  im- 
pious, the  threats  of  the  wicked,  and  even  the  torments  to  which  we 
might  be  exposed.  The  Christians  of  the  early  Church  have  given  us 
the  most  glorious  examples,  of  fortitude.  In  vain  did  the  Rorhan  em- 
perors tempt  them  by  most  magnificent  promises,  or  try  to  frighten 
them  by  most  terrible  threats ;  in  vain  did  they  condemn  them  to 
exile  or  death  ;  these  fearless  Christians  remained  firm  in  their  faith 
and  went  rejoicing  to  their  death,  full  of  courage  and  hope  in  God. 

The  second  effect  of  confirmation  is  the  indelible  character  which 
it  imprints  on  the  soul.      This  character  is  like  a  seal  by  which,  after 


404 


lit- 


FOURTH   PART.      V.   INSTRUCTION 


having  been  made  children  of  God  through  baptism,  we  become  sol- 
diers of  Jesus  Christ,  and  are  enrolled  in  His  sacred  militia,  to  combat 
His  enemies  and  to  defend  His  holy  religion.  This  sacred  and  divine 
seal  will  shine  eternally  on  our  forehead  for  our  honor  or  for  our 
shame,  according  as  we  shall  have  made  a  good  or  bad  use  of  the 
graces  of  this  sacrament. 

III.  Confirmation  imparts  to  the  soul  the  Holy  Ghost  with  the 
plenitude  of  His  graces,  and  therefore  this  sacrament  can  be  adminis- 
tered only  by  the  bishops,  who  alone  possess  the  plenitude  of  the 
priesthood.  We  read  in  Holy  Scripture  that  the  apostles  had  the  power 
to  confirm.  When  the  Samaritans  had  been  baptized  by  the  deacon 
St.  Philip,  they  were  confirmed  by  the  apostles  St.  Peter  and  St. 
John,  and  the  Christians  of  Ephesus  were  confirmed  by  St.  Paul 
(Acts  VIII.  15). 

IV.  Since  the  sacrament  of  confirmation  confers  such  great  graces, 
it  is  the  duty  of  every  Christian  to  receive  it.  God  could  not  institute 
such  an  abundant  source  of  graces  without  at  the  same  time  obliging 
us  to  have  recourse  to  it.  Undoubtedly,  it  is  not  as  necessary  as  bap- 
tism, without  which  no  one  can  be  saved.  But  it  is  necessary,  as  far 
as  God's  precept  is  concerned,  and  it  would  be  a  grievous  sin  to  neg- 
lect to  receive  it.  Pope  Benedict  XIV.  formally  declared  so  in  his 
bull,  Etsi pastoralis  Romania  and  all  the  Doctors  of  the  Church  teach 
the  same.  When  a  person  attains  the  age  required,  he  must  take  the 
first  occasion  to  receive  it,  and  parents  and  masters  would  render 
themselves  guilty  of  grievous  sin,  if  they  did  not  have  their  children  or 
their  servants  confirmed,  if  they  can  conveniently  do  so. 

V.  There  is  no  definite  law  as  to  the  age  at  which  the  sacrament 
of  confirmation  should  be  received.  In  the  early  ages  of  the  Church, 
it  was  administered  immediately  after  baptism,  even  to  the  little  chil- 
dren, on  account  of  the  persecutions  which  raged  in  those  times.  The 
custom  of  the  Church  in  the  present  day  is  to  confirm  only  those  who 
have  attained  the  age  of  reason,  in  order  that,  being  more  instructed, 
they  receive  this  sacrament  with  greater  respect  and  greater  profit. 
The  Catechism  of  the  Council  of  Trent  teaches  that  it  is  best  to  wait 
until  about  the  age  of  twelve  years,  that  is,  about  the  time  of  first 
communion. 

VI.  The  manner  of  administering  confirmation  is  as  follows  :  The 
bishop  spreads  his  hands  over  those  that  are  to  be  confirmed  and  in- 
vokes the  Holy  Ghost  to  come  down  upon  them  with  His  gifts.     This 


*^ 


ON  CONFIRMATION 


imposition  of  hands,  practiced  by  the  apostles  themselves,  signifies 
the  power  of  God  that  ought  to  protect  the  souls  of  those  to  be  con- 
firmed, and  protect  them  against  the  attacks  and  snares  of  the  enemy. 
According  to  several  theologians  this  imposition  of  hands  is  an  essen- 
tial part  of  the  sacrament,  and  none  of  those  who  are  to  be  confirmed 
should  be  absent  from  it.  After  the  imposition  of  hands,  the  bishop 
makes  a  sign  of  the  cross  with  chrism  on  the  forehead  of  each  of  those 
to  be  confirmed,  saying,  at  the  same  time  :  *^  I  sign  thee  with  the  sign 
of  the  cross  and  confirm  thee  with  the  chrism  of  salvation,  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'*  The  chrism 
used  in  confirmation  is  a  mixture  of  olive  oil  and  balsam,  consecrated 
by  the  bishop  on  Holy  Thursday.  This  matter  has  been  chosen  by 
Jesus  Christ,  in  preference  to  all  others,  because  the  oil,  by  the  prop- 
erty which  it  has  of  sweetening  and  strengthening,  and  the  balsam,  by 
its  good  odor,  represent  the  effects  which  confirmation  produces  in 
our  soul,  by  calming  our  passions,  strengthening  us  against  tempta- 
tions, and  animating  us  to  spread  everywhere  the  good  odor  of  virtue. 
The  bishop  makes  the  unction  on  the  forehead,  because  on  the  fore- 
head is  revealed  either  shame  or  fear,  and  because  we  ought  to  have 
neither  shame  nor  fear  to  confess  our  faith  as  Christians ;  and  he 
makes  the  unction  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  to  point  out  that,  far  from 
being  ashamed  of  the  cross,  we  ought,  on  the  contrary,  to  look  upon 
it  as  our  mott  glorious  trophy  of  honor  and  glory.  Finally,  the  bishop 
gives  a  slight  blow  on  the  cheek  of  the  one  who  is  confirmed,  to  teach 
him  that  he  must  be  prepared  to  suffer  all  sorts  of  injuries  for  Jesus 
Christ.  Our  religion,  my  brethren,  is  a  religion  of  humiliation  and  of 
sacrifice.  The  life  of  our  divine  model  was  one  of  long  suffering,  one 
continual  bearing  of  the  cross.  If  we  wish  to  be  Christians,  we  must 
accustom  ourselves,  even  in  early  life,  to  bear  injuries  and  contempt 
with  patience. 

VII.  Preparation  for  the  reception  of  the  sacrament  of  confirma- 
tion includes  a  preparation  of  the  body  and  a  preparation  of  the  soul. 

As  regards  the  preparation  of  the  body,  those  who  are  to  be  con- 
firmed should  be  decently  and  modestly  dressed,  they  should  have  their 
forehead  well  washed,  they  should  keep  a  becoming  posture  during 
the  reception  of  the  sacrament,  and,  if  possible,  they  should  be  fasting 
from  the  midnight  previous. 

As  regards  the  interior  preparation,  those  who  are  to  be  confirmed 
should  be  sufficiently  instructed  and  should  be  in  the  state  of  grace,  and 


4o6 


FOURTH  PART.      VI.  INSTRUCTION 


they  should  be  recollected  during  the  reception  of  the  sacrament  and 
pray  for  the  reception  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

In  conclusion  I  would  say  that  if  there  are  any  among  you  who 
have  neglected  to  receive  the  sacrament  of  confirmation,  they  should 
wait  no  longer ;  for  the  longer  they  defer  it,  the  more  guilty  they  be- 
come. All  children  who  have  attained  the  age  of  discretion  should 
keep  themselves  ready  to  profit  by  the  first  visit  of  the  bishop,  to 
receive  confirmation.  Many  of  those  who  have  already  received  this 
sacrament  ought  to  humble  themselves  on  account  of  their  weakness 
and  cowardice.  They  do  not  cooperate  with  the  graces  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  they  do  not  fulfill  their  obligations  as  a  Christian. 

Let  those  who  have  been  unfaithful  in  their  Christian  duties  and 
who  have  bowed  before  human  respect,  humble  themselves  before  the 
Lord,  pray  to  Him  to  renew  in  their  hearts  the  spirit  of  strength  and 
piety  :  Conjirma  hoc,  Deus,  quod  operatus  est  in  nobis;  and  to  give 
them  grace  to  behave  in  future  as  true  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ :  Sicut 
bonus  miles  Christi  (H.  Tim.  ii.  3). 


VI.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Sacrament  of  the  Blessed  Eucharist 

I.  The  word  Eucharist  signifies  grace,  or  thanks.  The  Blessed 
Eucharist  is  so  called,  because  when  our  Saviour  instituted  it.  He 
gave  thanks  to  His  Father,  and  because,  when  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass  is  offered,  it  is  the  most  agreeable  thank  offering  that  can  be 
made. 

This  sacrament  is  designated  in  Holy  Scripture,  and  in  the  ecclesi- 
astical authors,  under  various  other  names  which  give  us  to  under- 
stand its  many  excellences  and  its  various  effects.     It  is  called  :  — 

ist.  The  Most  Holy  Sacrament,  because  it  is  the  greatest,  the  most 
holy,  and  the  most  august  of  all  the  sacraments.  The  other  sacraments 
produce  grace,  but  this  contains  and  communicates  to  us  the  author  of 
all  grace. 


ON  THE   EUCHARIST 


407 


2d.  The  sacrament  of  the  altar,  because  the  Eucharist  is  conse- 
crated upon  the  altar,  and  because  it  is  preserved  on  the  altar  to  be 
distributed  to  the  faithful. 

3d.  The  sacred  host,  because  the  Eucharist  contains  Jesus  Christ, 
who  is  the  host  or  victim  immolated  for  the  salvation  of  the 
world. 

4th.  The  living  bread,  the  bread  of  the  angels,  the  bread  of  the 
children,  because  it  is  the  best  nourishment  of  our  souls,  which  only 
the  children  of  God  have  the  right  to  receive,  and  which  they  should 
receive  with  the  purity  of  angels. 

5th.  It  is  called  communion,  on  account  of  the  intimate  manner  in 
which  it  unites  us  with  Jesus  Christ ;  the  holy  table  on  which  a  heav- 
enly and  divine  banquet  is  served. 

6th.  It  is  called  the  holy  viaticum,  because  it  is  given  to  the  dying 
to  assist  them  in  their  last  journey  from  time  to  eternity. 

II.  As  the  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  is  such  an  excellent  sacra- 
ment, God  desired  that  it  should  be  announced  to  men  by  figures  long 
before  it  was  instituted.     The  principal  figures  are  :  — 

1st.  The  tree  of  life,  the  fruit  of  which  was  to  give  immortality  to 
those  who  eat  of  it  in  the  earthly  paradise. 

2d.  The  bread  and  the  wine,  which  Melchisadech  offered  in  sacri- 
fice, and  which,  later  on,  was  to  be  the  matter  of  this  adorable  sacra- 
ment. 

3d.  The  paschal  lamb  whose  blood  protected  the  houses  of  the 
Israelites  in  Egypt  on  the  passage  of  the  exterminating  angel. 

4th.  The  manna  of  the  desert,  which,  during  forty  years,  fell 
from  heaven  every  morning,  for  the  miraculous  nourishment  of  the 
people  of  God. 

But  as  much  as  light  surpasses  darkness,  and  the  body  surpasses 
the  shadow,  so  much  was  the  Eucharist  to  surpass  all  the  figures  of 
the  Old  Testament. 

III.  The  Eucharist  is  a  sacrament  which  contains  really  and  truly 
the  body,  the  blood,  the  soul,  and  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  under  the  species  or  appearances  of  bread  and  wine. 

The  Eucharist  is  a  sacrament,  because  it  contains  all  the  conditions 
necessary  for  a  sacrament.  The  outward  sign  is  the  appearance  of 
bread  and  wine ;  it  was  instituted  by  Jesus  Christ  at  the  Last  Sup- 
per; and  it  was  instituted  to  give  grace  to  our  souls,  because  it  com- 
municates to  us  the  very  Author  of  grace. 


4o8 


FOURTH   PART.      VI.   INSTRUCTION 


We  say  that  this  sacrament  contains  really  and  truly  the  body 
and  not  that  Christ  is  present  in  a  mystical  and  figurative 
manner,  as  some  heretics  claim. 

IV.  To  convince  ourselves  of  this  fundamental  truth,  let  us  study 
the  words  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Gospel  and  the  language  of  the  apos- 
tle St.  Paul  in  his  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  and  let  us  inquire 
what  tradition  has  believed  and  what  the  Church  has  decided  in  this 
matter. 

I  St.  Jesus  said  :  /  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven;  if  any  man  eat  of  this  breads  he  shall  live  forever;  and  the 
bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  for  the  life  of  the  world.  The  Jews 
did  not  understand  these  words,  and  they  murmured,  saying  :  "  How 
can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat.^  ^*  Jesus  added  :  Amen,  amen,  I 
say  unto  you,  except  you  eat  the  flesh  of  the  son  of  man,  and  drink  his 
blood,  you  shall  not  have  life  in  you .  For  my  flesh  is  meat,  indeed; 
and  my  blood  is  drink,  indeed.  He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketk 
my  blood  abideth  in  me  and  I  in  him  (John  vi.). 

It  was  in  these  words  that  our  Lord  promised  to  institute  the  ador- 
able sacrament  of  the  Eucharist.  How  could  our  Saviour  have  ex- 
pressed Himself  in  a  clearer  and  more  precise  manner?  Several  of 
His  disciples  interpreting  these  words  in  a  coarse  sense,  and  believing 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  going  to  give  to  them  His  flesh  to  eat  as- 
common  flesh,  murmured,  saying  :  "  This  saying  is  hard,  and  who  can 
hear  it.''  "  If  our  Lord  had  not  the  intention  to  speak  of  a  real  and 
substantial  presence.  He  would  have  hastened  to  correct  their  idea ; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  He  insists  only  the  more  on  His  words.  "  The 
words  that  I  have  spoken  to  you  are  spirit  and  life,"  He  added;  mean- 
ing to  say  that  they  must  not  be  understood  in  their  coarse  and  more 
carnal  sense,  but  in  a  supernatural  sense,  although  real,  according  to 
the  manner  of  the  bodies  risen  from  the  dead. 

The  words  of  the  institution  show  us  in  a  still  clearer  and  more 
striking  manner  the  truth  of  the  real  presence  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the 
Eucharist.  It  was  at  the  Last  Supper,  on  Holy  Thursday,  the  eve  of 
the  passion.  Our  Lord,  after  having  celebrated  the  Pasch  with  His 
disciples,  took  bread  in  His  hands,  and,  having  blessed  it.  He  broke  it 
and  gave  it  to  His  disciples,  saying  :  Take  ye  and  eat;  this  is  My 
body.  Then,  taking  the  chalice.  He  gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  to  them, 
saying  :  Drink  ye  all  of  this;  for  this  is  My  blood  of  the  JVew  Testa- 
ment, which  shall  be  shed  for  many  unto  remission  of  sins.     And  He 


ON  THE   EUCHARIST 


409 


added:  Do  this  in  commemoration  of  Me  (Matt.  xxvi.  36,  27,  28; 
Luke  XXII.  19,  20),  that  is,  do  what  I  have  done  and  do  it  until  the 
end  of  time.  Could  anything  be  clearer  than  these  expressions  :  This 
is  My  body,  this  is  My  blood?  What  you  see  in  My  hands  is  not 
bread  any  longer,  but  it  is  My  body.  What  is  in  this  chalice  is  not 
wine  any  longer,  but  is  My  blood. 

Jesus  Christ,  being  God,  foresaw  the  future,  and  knew  He  would 
be  adored  as  really  and  substantially  present  in  the  Eucharist.  Either 
such  was  His  thought  and  intention  in  the  words  just  quoted,  or  He 
desired  to  lead  men  into  an  error  and  cause  them  to  commit  an  act  of 
idolatry  as  often  as  they  should  adore  the  august  sacrament.  But  it 
would  be  blasphemy  to  suppose  that  God  would  lead  us  into  error. 
The  evidence  of  these  words  is  so  strong  that  Luther  himself,  who,  as 
he  often  said,  desired  to  destroy  the  belief  in  the  dogma  of  the  real 
presence,  declared  that  the  words  :  This  is  My  body,  this  is  My  blood, 
were  too  clear  and  too  definite,  and  made.it  impossible  for  him  to 
attack  this  mystery. 

2d.  St.  Paul,  after  speaking  of  the  happiness  of  those  who  eat  of 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  says  :  This  chalice  of  benediction  which  ive 
bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ?  And  the  bread 
ivhich  ive  break,  is  it  not  the  partaking  of  the  body  of  the  Lord? 
(I.  Cor.  X.  16.) 

Then  he  relates  what  the  Gospel  tells  of  the  institution  of  the  Eu- 
charist, and  adds  :  Therefore,  those  whosoever  shall  eat  this  bread,  or 
drink  the  chalice  of  the  Lord  unworthily,  shall  be  guilty  of  the  body 
and  of  the  blood  of  the  Lord.  But  let  a  man  -prove  himself;  and  so 
let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  the  chalice.  For  he  that 
eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily  eateth  and  drinketh  judgment  to 
himself,  not  discerning  the  body  of  the  Lord  (I.  Cor.  xi.  27—29). 

In  this  divine  commentary  on  the  words  of  the  Saviour,  how  can 
one,  except  he  is  willfully  blind,  not  see  the  belief  of  the  real  presence 
and  the  truth  of  the  Eucharistic  mystery.?  Every  one  of  these  words 
of  the  great  apostle  is  a  refutation  of  heresy. 

3d.  All  tradition  is  unanimous  in  upholding  this  great  truth  of  the 
real  presence.  St.  Ignatius,  in  his  letter  to  the  faithful  in  Smyrna, 
says  explicitly  that  "  the  Eucharist  is  the  flesh  of  the  Lord,  the  same 
flesh  that  suffered  for  our  sins."  St.  Justin,  in  his  famous  apology, 
says  that  "•  it  is  flesh  and  blood  of  the  incarnate  Word,  the  same  flesh 
and  blood  which  became  united  for  the  salvation  of  the  world." 


4IO 


FOURTH   PART.      VI.   INSTRUCTION 


**The  body  is  nourished  with  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,*^ 
says  Tertullian,  **in  order  that  the  soul  may  be  nourished  and  fattened 
with  the  divinity  itself.^*  St.  Iragneus,  St.  Cyril,  St.  Ambrose,  St. 
Chrysostom,  and  all  the  Fathers  of  the  Church,  affirm  the  same. 

4th.  The  Church,  from  the  very  beginning,  has  always  shown  her 
belief  in  the  real  presence,  first,  by  ^^  the  breaking  of  the  bread,"  that 
is,  by  partaking  in  the  Holy  Eucharist,  to  which  the  first  Christians 
were  so  faithful ;  and,  later,  by  the  different  feasts,  the  divers  cere- 
monies, and  the  solemn  processions  which  she  has  established  in  honor 
of  the  Blessed  Eucharist. 

But  the  Church  has  done  more  than  show  her  faith  by  the  practices 
of  her  worship  and  discipline ;  she  has  formally  defined  this  truth  in 
several  Councils,  and  especially  in  the  Council  of  Trent,  where  she 
anathemizes  any  one  who  denies  that  the  body  and  the  blood  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  His  soul  and  divinity,  and,  consequently,  that 
Jesus  Christ  Himself  is  contained  truly,  really,  and  substantially  in 
the  sacrament  of  the  Most  Holy  Eucharist  (Sess.  xiii.  i). 

It  is,  therefore,  an  article  of  faith  and  a  fundamental  article,  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  really  and  substantially  present  under  the  sacred  species. 
God  has  spoken,  the  apostles,  tradition,  and  the  entire  Church  have 
declared  their  belief,  and  there  can  no  longer  be  any  doubt  for  the 
true  Catholic.  We  must  believe  this  great  truth,  and  believe  it,  not 
with  a  languishing  faith  like  that  of  so  many  bad  Christians  who  by 
their  conduct  belie  their  belief,  but  we  must  believe  it  with  a  lively, 
firm,  and  immovable  faith,  absolutely  as  if,  under  the  appearances  of 
bread  and  wine,  we  should  see  Jesus  Christ  with  our  own  eyes ;  and 
even  more  firmly,  for  our  eyes  might  deceive  us,  while  faith  can 
never  deceive  us.  St.  Louis,  king  of  France,  was  once  told  that  in 
the  chapel  of  the  palace,  where  a  saintly  priest  was  saying  Mass,  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  visible  under  the  form  of  a  child,  and  that 
everybody  was  hastening  to  see  the  miracle.  The  king  was  urged  to 
witness  the  miracle  but  he  answered:  "It  would  be  of  no  use;  let 
those  who  doubt  the  real  presence  go  if  they  wish;  as  for  me,  I  believe 
it  as  firmly  as  if  I  were  to  see  it  with  my  own  eyes,  and  I  shall  not  go 
to  see  it  in  order  not  to  lose  the  merit  of  my  faith.  * 

V.  Consider  and  admire  the  wonders  of  the  divine  power  and  wis- 
dom which  shine  forth  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist.  Hardly  are  the  sac- 
ramental words  pronounced,  when  at  the  same  instant  the  bread  and 
the  wine  are  changed  into  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  the  bread 


ON   THE   EUCHARIST  ^H 

and  the  wine  cease  to  exist;  all  that  is  left  is  only  the  form  and 
appearance  and  whatever  there  can  be  perceived  by  the  senses.  Jesus 
Christ  is  entire  under  the  species  of  bread  and  under  the  species  of 
wine,  and  He  is  entire  under  each  of  the  species  contained  in  the  cib- 
orium  of  any  church  and  of  all  the  churches  in  the  world,  without  be- 
coming multiplied  and  without  ceasing  to  be  one  and  the  same  Christ. 
If  the  species  be  divided  into  several  particles,  Jesus  Christ  remains 
one  and  indivisible,  because  Christ,  in  His  glorious  state,  is  incorrupti- 
ble and  impassible,  and  He  can  suffer  neither  death  nor  division. 

We  cannot  understand  this  mystery,  but  does  it  therefore  follow 
that  it  is  not  true?  Who  can  measure  the  extent  of  the  divine  power.? 
Who  can  understand  how  God  could  create  the  world  by  one  single 
word  ?  How  He  could  form  the  body  of  Adam  out  of  a  little  clay  ? 
How,  in  the  presence  of  Pharaoh,  He  could  change  the  rod  of  Aaron 
into  a  serpent,  and  at  the  nuptials  of  Cana,  the ^ water  into  wine? 
Nature  itself  is  full  of  mysteries.  Who  can  understand  how  a  seed 
thrown  into  the  ground  can  produce  a  hundredfold,  and  how  the  food 
we  take  is  changed  into  our  substance? 

Wonderful,  indeed,  is  the  power  of  the  priest  at  the  altar.  He 
speaks  and  God  obeys ;  he  commands  and  God  comes  down  from 
heaven  to  clothe  His  Infinity  in  the  sacramental  species.  The  last 
and  lowliest  priest  in  the  hierarchy  has  a  power  in  this  regard  equal 
to  the  Pope  himself. 

VI.  Can  one  conceive  anything  comparable  to  this  immense  power, 
to  this  infinite  power  given  to  the  priest?  Moses  commanded  the 
waters  of  the  Red  Sea  to  divide  themselves  and  they  obeyed ;  Josue 
commanded  the  sun  to  stand  still  in  its  course  and  it  obeyed ;  but  the 
priest  commands  God  Himself  to  descend  from  His  high  place  in 
heaven  and  to  conceal  Himself  under  the  humble  Eucharistic  species, 
and  God  obeys. 

O  immense  power,  O  mighty  dignity  of  the  priest,  which  sur- 
passes the  dignity  of  the  angels  and  archangels,  the  dignity  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  herself  in  a  certain  sense,  since  it  was  given  neither 
to  the  angels,  nor  to  Mary  to  consecrate  the  body  and  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ ! 

VII.  Why  did  Jesus  Christ  give  so  much  power  to  priests?  It 
was  to  enable  them  to  continue  the  immolation  on  Mount  Calvary,  so 
that  He  might  remain  perpetually  with  us,  and  even  give  Himself 
as  food  to  us ;  for  such   was   His  love  for  men   that  He   wished   to 


412 


FOURTH    PART.      VII.    INSTRUCTION 


exhaust  the  treasures  of  His  power  and  wisdom,  in  order  to  find  the 
means  to  return  to  His  Heavenly  Father  without  ceasing  to  be  with  us. 
O  ineffable  love  of  God  for  His  creatures !  A  God  gives  Himself, 
His  flesh  and  blood,  to  be  the  food  of  His  creatures !  Let  us  prostrate 
ourselves  before  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  let  us  adore  and  bless  the 
divine  Saviour,  present  in  our  tabernacles,  and  say  to  Him ;  Yes,  O 
my  God,  I  believe  in  the  real  presence  of  Thy  flesh,  Thy  blood.  Thy 
soul,  and  Thy  divinity,  and  that  Thou  residest  really  and  substantially 
under  the  Eucharistic  veils,  as  formerly  in  the  womb  of  Mary,  as  in  the 
crib  of  Bethlehem,  as  upon  Mount  Calvary,  I  believe  it,  O  my  God, 
as  if  I  saw  Thee  with  my  own  eyes.  I  am  disposed  to  give  my  life  a 
thousand  times  rather  than  to  renounce  my  belief  in  the  Real  Presence 
in  the  blessed  sacrament.     Amen. 


Vn.    INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Blessed  Eucharist  (  Confd) 

The  sacr&ment  of  the  Blessed  Eucharist  may  be  considered  under 
three  aspects:  ist.  As  the  food  of  our  soul  in  the  holy  communion; 
3d.  As  the  victim  in  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass ;  3d.  As  our  friend 
present  with  us  in  the  tabernacle. 

Our  duties  to  Jesus  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament  are  two  :  respect  and 
devotion. 

I.  Respect. —  A  church  in  which  the  Holy  Eucharist  is  preserved 
is  the  house  of  God  and  the  sanctuary  of  His  divinity.  Jesus  resides 
there  both  as  God  and  as  man,  as  He  resided  in  the  stable  of  Bethle- 
hem, in  the  house  of  Nazareth  and  in  that  of  Zacheus,  upon  Calvary, 
in  the  sepulcher,  or  as  He  is  in  heaven.  It  is  the  same  God,  the  same 
Saviour  hidden  under  the  Eucharistic  veil.  Such  is  our  faith,  and  no 
one  would  be  a  true  Catholic  if  he  did  not  believe  this  truth  with  all 
his  heart. 

How  great,  therefore,  should  be  our  reverence  in  presence  of  the 
Blessed  Sacrament !  The  temple  of  Solomon  was  regarded  as  such  a 
holy  place  that  the  Israelites  were  forbidden  to  enter  it  unless  they 


ON  THE  EUCHARIST 


413 


were  free  from  all  stain.  Within  the  inclosure  of  the  temple  there 
was  a  place  called  the  Holy  of  Holies^  into  which  the  high-priest  alone 
had  the  right  to  enter  once  a  year.  The  vestibule  of  the  Holy  of 
Holies  was  opened  only  to  the  priest  for  the  offering  of  the  sacrifices, 
and  any  other  Israelite  who  should  dare  to  enter  the  vestibule  was 
stoned  to  death,  as  a  sacrilegious  man  and  profaner  of  Go'd's  temple. 
Osias,  one  of  the  kings  of  Israel,  dared  to  enter  the  vestibule  to  offer 
incense  to  God,  but  he  was  instantly  struck  with  leprosy,  which 
deprived  him  of  his  kingdom  and  shut  him  away  from  the  society 
of  men  for  the  rest  of  his  days. 

But,  after  all,  the  temple  of  Solomon  contained  only  the  Ark  of 
the  Covenant,  the  symbol  of  God's  protection  over  the  Israelites,  and 
of  His  compact  with  them.  God  showed  His  presence  only  from 
afar  in  the  temple  of  Solomon.  How  holy  and  awful  should  the  tem- 
ple of  the  New  Law  be,  that  contains  the  Deity  Himself! 

In  the  presence  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  we  should  behave  in 
a  most  respectful  manner,  occupying  ourselves  only  with  meditation 
and  prayer.  We  should  adore  God  in  this  sacrament  of  love  as  the 
angels  in  heaven  do  :  And  let  all  the  angels  of  God  adore  Him  (Hebr. 
I.  6),  as  the  magi  in  the  stable  of  Bethlehem,  as  Magdalen  when  she 
prostrated  herself  at  His  feet  to  wash  them  with  the  tears  of  her 
repentance  and  love. 

How  shamefully  do  those  act  who,  in  the  presence  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  talk,  laugh,  and  give  themselves  up  to 
worldly  thoughts,  as  if  they  were  in  a  profane  place!  How  much 
more  guilty  are  those  who  carry  on  indecent  conversation,  or  who  find 
pleasure  in  bad  looks,  thoughts,  and  desires  in  the  holy  place !  How 
can  a  Christian  behave  with  levity  and  indifference  in  presence  of 
Him  who  is  his  God,  his  Saviour ;  in  the  presence  of  Him  who  one 
day  will  be  his  judge.''  If  a  heretic  or  an  infidel  should  behave  him- 
self irreverently  in  the  Church,  I  could  understand  it.  His  conduct 
would  be  in  keeping  with  his  belief;  but  for  disciples  of  Christ  and 
children  of  the  Church  to  act  thus,  passes  my  understanding. 

2d.  Devotion. —  This  devotion  to  the  Real  Presence  will  manifest 
itself  by  frequent  visits  to  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  It  is,  indeed,  sad 
and  deplorable  to  behold  the  indifference  of  men  towards  the  Holy 
Eucharist,  and  their  negligence  in  visiting  our  Lord  in  the  Blessed 
Sacrament.  I  do  not  speak  of  those  who  live  far  from  the  Church,  and 
whose  manifold  occupations  hardly  permit  them  to  visit  the  Church. 


414 


FOURTH    PART.      VII.    INSTRUCTION 


But  how  many  there  are  who  could  very  conveniently  come  to  visit 
Jesus  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  and  who,  nevertheless,  never  enter 
the  holy  place  except  when  the  law  of  the  Church  obliges  them ! 
Such  an  indifference  and  ingratitude  is  unworthy  of  a  Christian  who 
has  the  faith.  If  you  have  a  sincere  and  affectionate  friend,  do  you 
not  consider  it  a  duty  to  visit  him  from  time  to  time,  and  do  you  not 
like  him  to  visit  you  ?  If  you  live  separated  from  a  father  or  a  mother 
whom  you  love,  are  you  not  anxious  to  see  them  again  and  again? 
Christ  in  the  Holy  Eucharist  is  for  you  a  father  and  a  friend,  and  your 
best  friend,  your  most  tender  father ;  and  not  only  does  He  desire  you 
to  come  and  visit  Him  in  the  place  of  His  solitude  and  loneliness, 
which  He  has  chosen  out  of  love  for  man,  but  He  also  invites  you  in 
the  most  pressing  manner.  My  delight  is  to  be  with  the  children  of 
men  (Prov.  viii.  31).  Come  to  me,  all  you  that  labor,  and  are  bur- 
dened, and  I  will  refresh  you  (Matt,  xi,  28).  Jesus  invites  us  to 
come  and  see  Him  and  to  pray  to  Him  :  Afy  eyes  shall  be  open  and  my 
ears  attentive  to  the  prayer  of  him  that  shall  pray  in  this  place  (II. 
Par.  VII.  15).  God  is  ready  to  hear  our  prayer  in  every  place,  but  it 
is  easy  to  understand  that  prayers  made  in  Church  before  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  are  more  pleasing  to  Him  and  more  efficacious  to  us.  The 
Church  is  the  house  of  prayer,  the  gate  of  heaven,  and  the  throne 
of  mercy. 

The  liberality  of  Christ,  His  infinite  tenderness.  His  touching  and 
inexhaustible  goodness  towards  men  inspired  the  saints  with  the  ten- 
derest  devotion  towards  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  St.  Vincent  of  Paul 
visited  the  Blessed  Sacrament  as  often  as  he  could,  and  the  only  relief 
he  found  in  his  great  occupations  was  in  kneeling  for  a  long  time  be- 
fore the  holy  tabernacle.  St.  Gertrude  often  passed,  entire  nights  at 
the  foot  of  the  altar,  adoring  our  divine  Saviour  in  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment. It  was  before  the  Blessed  Sacrament  that  St.  Francis  Xavier, 
the  apostle  of  the  Indies,  sought  hope  after  his  long  fatigues,  in  labor- 
ing for  the  salvation  of  souls. 

If  you  cannot  imitate  such  examples  in  their  fullness,  follow  them 
at  least  as  much  as  your  situation  allows  you.  Come  from  time  to 
time,  come  every  day  if  possible,  to  adore  Jesus  in  the  sacrament 
of  His  love.  You  cannot  do  anything  more  agreeable  to  Him  or  more 
profitable  to  yourselves.  Sinners,  come  to  beg  of  Him  the  grace  of 
conversion;  lukewarm  souls,  beg  for  fervor;  and  just  souls,  pray  for 
perseverance.     Afflicted,  abandoned,  and  persecuted  souls,  ah!  come, 


(5n  communion  ^jr 

come  to  find  a  refuge  in  the  pious  and  holy  asylum ;  come  to  tell  Jesus 
your  pains  and  miseries ;  come  to  beg  Him  to  assist  you  to  carry  your 
cross,  and  be  assured  that  you  shall  depart  relieved  and  consoled. 

Assistance  at  Holy  Mass  in  the  morning,  and  a  visit  to  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  in  the  evening,  should  be  the  practice  of  every  pious 
Christian  if  possible.  Assist  also  at  Benediction,  every  time  you 
have  an  opportunity  to  do  so.  How  many  graces  and  consolations 
there  are  in  those  happy  moments,  when  our  Lord  leaves  His  retreat 
and  appears  on  the  altar,  as  a  father  among  His  children,  to  bless 
them ! 

May  all  these  considerations,  my  brethren,  inspire  you  with  the 
devotion  and  respect  which  you  owe  to  the  adorable  sacrament  of  the 
altar!  May  you,  in  future,  by  your  profound  veneration  and  your 
ardent  piety,  make  some  amends  to  our  Saviour  for  the  indifference 
and  ingratitude  of  bad  Christians  towards  Him  in  the  very  sacrament 
of  His  love!     Amen. 


Vni.    INSTRUCTION 

On  the   Holy   Communion 

Its  Effects  —  Frequent  Communion 

Holy  Communion  is  the  receiving  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Blessed 
Eucharist.  Faith  teaches  us  that  the  Holy  Eucharist  contains  Jesus 
Christ  whole  and  entire  under  the  species  of  bread  and  wine.  To 
receive  Holy  Communion  is  to  receive  the  body,  the  blood,  the  soul, 
and  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  That  is,  the  same  body  that  was 
attached  to  the  cross,  the  same  blood  which  flowed  under  the  knife  of 
the  circumcision  and  upon  Calvary,  the  same  soul  which,  in  the  Garden 
of  Olives,  was  sorrowful  unto  death,  the  same  divinity  which  took 
flesh  in  the  womb  of  Mary  through  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

During  the  first  ages  of  the  Church,  the  faithful  received  commun- 
ion under  the  form  both  of  bread  and  of  wine,  just  as  the  priest  who 
celebrates  Mass ;  because  it  was  in  that  manner  that  our  Saviour  gave 


41 6  FOURTH   PART.      VIII.    INSTRUCTION 

communion  to  His  apostles  at  the  Last  Supper.  This  practice  was 
continued,  generally,  until  about  the  eleventh  and  twelveth  century. 
But  it  was  accompanied  with  serious  inconveniences,  and  it  happened 
sometimes  that  the  sacred  blood  was  spilled.  The  Council  of  Con- 
stance, in  1414,  decided  to  allow  communion  under  both  kinds  only  to 
the  priest  at  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  Communion  under  the  form  of 
bread  alone  is  perfectly  valid,  since  Jesus  Christ  is  whole  and  entire 
under  each  species. 

The  effects  of  Holy  Communion  are  wonderful.  It  unites  us  inti- 
mately with  Christ;  it  weakens  concupiscence,  that  inclination  towards 
evil  which  we  have  inherited  from  the  sin  of  our  first  parents ;  it  in- 
creases sanctifying  grace  ;  it  is  a  source  of  many  actual  graces  and  a 
pledge  of  eternal  life. 

I.  Holy  Communion  unites  us  with  Christ  in  the  most  intimate 
manner.  Jesus  Christ  Himself  compares  this  union  with  that  which 
takes  place  between  the  corporal  nourishment  and  the  body  which  re- 
ceives it.  My  Jlesh  is  meat,  indeed;  and  my  blood  is  drittk,  indeed. 
He  that  eateth  m,y  Jlesh  and  drinketh  my  blood,  abideth  in  me  and  I  in 
him  (John  vi.  56-57).  Just  as  only  one  substance  is  formed  of  the  nour- 
ishment and  the  body  which  takes  it,  so  also  in  Holy  Communion  only 
one  substance  is  formed  of  Jesus  Christ  and  of  the  one  who  receives 
Him;  with  the  distinction,  that  corporal  food  is  assimilated  to  the 
body  and  becomes  a  part  of  it,  whilst  in  the  Holy  Communion,  Jesus 
Christ  changes  us  into  Himself,  and  makes  us  in  some  manner  another 
Christ.  It  is  not  only  His  flesh  which  communicates  itself  to  ours, 
but  His  soul,  His  divinity,  which  resides  in  us.  The  three  adorable 
persons  of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity  take  up  their  abode  in  us,  not  only 
by  their  immensity,  as  in  the  creation,  not  only  by  sanctifying  grace, 
as  in  the  souls  of  the  just,  but  by  a  special  grace  attached  to  this  sac- 
rament, in  such  a  manner  that  if  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost  were 
not  already  everywhere,  they  would  be  in  us  through  their  union  with 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  Holy  Eucharist.  "O  prodigy  of  the  love  of  God, 
who  unites  itself  with  us,*^  says  St.  Cyril  of  Alexandria,  "as  two 
pieces  of  molten  wax,  so  well  mingled  together  that  they  cannot  be 
distinguished  one  from  another !  A  God  unites  Himself  with  us  as 
the  soul  is  united  with  the  body;  or  in  the  same  manner  as  Jesus 
Christ  Himself,  as  God,  is  united  with  the  Father  in  the  mystery 
of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity.  **  As  I  live  by  the  Father,  so  he  that  eateth 
me,  the  same  also  shall  live  by  me  (John  vi.  58).     It  is  as  if  He  would 


ON  COMMUNION  41  y 

say,  just  as  I  and  the  Father  are  one,  on  account  of  the  divine  nature 
which  is  common  to  us,  so  also  am  I  one  with  the  soul  that  receives 
me  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist. 

II.  It  is  impossible  fully  to  appreciate  the  honor  which  results  for 
us  from  such  an  intimate  and  ineflFable  union !  To  understand  it  fully 
we  would  have  to  be  capable  of^measuring  the  immense,  the  infinite, 
distance  which  exists  between  God  and  the  creature,  between  the  al- 
mighty power  and  weakness  itself,  between  the  infinity  itself  and 
nothing.  Could  we  have  ever  believed  that  a  miserable  sinner,  a 
worm  of  the  earth,  would  be  allowed  to  sit  at  the  table  of  his  God 
and  to  nourish  himself  with  His  adorable  body  and  blood?  St.  Eliz- 
abeth was  astonished  when  the  mother  of  her  Saviour  came  to  her. 
The  centurion  of  the  Gospel  regarded  himself  as  unworthy  of  having 
Jesus  come  into  his  house.  But  Jesus  comes  into  our  hearts  and  makes 
Himself  our  food.     What  an  extraordinary  condescension ! 

Mary,  the  Mother  of  God,  is  deemed  blessed  above  all  creatures, 
because  she  had  the  happiness  of  bearing  for  nine  months  in  her  chaste 
womb  the  body  of  God.  But  everyone  who  receives  the  Holy  Com- 
munion receives  his  God  into  his  heart.  Holy  Communion  is  a  nuptial 
feast,  at  which  our  soul  becomes  the  spouse  of  God  Himself,  the  tem- 
ple of  His  Deity.  The  soul  becomes,  in  some  manner,  deified,  and 
the  members  of  the  body  become  the  members  of  God  Himself. 

Blessed,  and  a  thousand  times  blessed,  is  the  body  of  the  faithful 
Christian,  who  is  thus  sanctified  by  the  presence  of  Jesus  Christ! 
Blessed  are  the  lips  which  are  colored  with  this  adorable  blood!  In 
possessing  God  what  more  can  we  desire,  since  we  possess  the  very 
source  of  all  good  ? 

III.  Faith  teaches  us  that  Holy  Communion  is  an  inexhaustible 
source  of  graces  for  the  soul  that  receives  it.  I  am  the  bread  of  life ^ 
says  Jesus  Christ,  he  that  eateth  this  bread  shall  live  forever  (John  vi. 
50).  Christ  in  the  soul  of  the  faithful  is  a  furnace  of  love  which  burns 
continually.  As  it  is  the  nature  of  fire  to  warm,  to  consume,  and 
to  lighten,  so  also  Christ,  in  the  Holy  Communion,  consumes  and 
warms  men  and  enlightens  the  ignorant.  If  St.  John,  the  well-be- 
loved disciple,  was  overwhelmed  with  grace  when  he  rested  on  the 
adorable  bosom  of  his  Master ;  if  the  prophet  Elias  derived  so  much 
strength  from  that  mysterious  bread,  a  figure  of  the  Eucharist,  which 
an  angel  of  God  offered  him  in  his  journey  to  the  top  of  Mount  Horeb, 
what  must  we  not  expect  from  this  "  bread  of  the  strong,  from  this 

27 


4i8 


FOURTH   PART.      VIII.    INSTRUCTION 


wine  which  brings  forth  virgins,'*  from  this  divine  Saviour,  when  He 
comes  into  our  heart  in  the  Holy  Communion. 

When  a  soul  is  nourished  and  filled  with  this  heavenly  food,  noth- 
ing can  separate  it  from  God,  neither  the  world  with  all  its  charms, 
nor  the  passions  with  all  their  fury,  nor  hell  with  all  its  temptations. 
What  was  it  that  gave  the  martyrs  so  much  strength  and  courage  in 
the  midst  of  torments,  if  not  the  Holy  Communion?  The  bishops  sent 
it  into  their  houses,  into  prisons,  to  the  persecuted  Christians ;  and 
these  brave  men  and  women  went  forth,  as  Tertullian  says,  like  lions 
breathing  fire,  and  dreadful  to  the  devil  himself.  What  the  Christians 
of  the  first  centuries  experienced,  we  may  also  experience.  Is  not  our 
inclination  towards  evil  weakened,  do  not  our  temptations  become 
less  violent,  and  do  we  not  feel  ourselves  more  fervent  and  more  in- 
flamed with  the  love  of  God,  more  filled  with  zeal  for  our  salvation,, 
on  the  days  of  a  good  and  holy  Communion  ? 

IV.  Oh !  how  many  falls,  my  brethren,  would  we  avoid  which 
we  do  not  avoid ;  how  many  temptations,  how  many  assaults  would 
we  escape  if  we  had  recourse  oftener  to  this  divine  food!  But  with 
the  infinite  treasure  of  Holy  Communion  within  such  easy  reach,  how 
many  there  are  who  neglect  it!  How  many  there  are  who  receive  it 
only  because  the  law  of  the  Church  commands  it !  Need  we  be  as- 
tonished, then,  that  there  are  so  many  weak  and  languishing  souls 
among  us? 

Three  principal  motives  should  move  us  to  go  often  to  Holy  Com- 
munion. Jesus  desires  us  to  receive  Him  in  Holy  Communion  ;  the 
Church  desires  it,  and  our  soul  needs  it. 

1st.  Jesus  Desires  Us  to  Receive  Him.  in  Holy  Communion. —  He 
shows  the  desire,  as  well  as  our  own  need,  by  the  very  form  He  has 
chosen  for  the  sacrament  of  the  Blessed  Eucharist.  Bread  and  wine 
are,  so  to  say,  the  daily  nourishment  of  our  body,  and  does  this  not 
indicate  to  us  that  the  Eucharist  ought  to  be  the  frequent  nourishment 
of  the  soul?  He  proves  this  again  by  the  direct  invitation  which  He 
gives  to  all:  Come.,  eat  my  bread.,  and  drink  the  wine  ivhich  I  have 
mingled  for  you  (Prov.  ix.  5).  If  any  man  thirst.,  let  him  come  to 
me,  and  drink;  and  ij"  any  man  has  hunger,  let  him  come  to  me  and  1 
shall  satiate  him;  and  I  shall  remain  in  him,  and  he  in  Me;  and  I 
shall  raise  him  up  in  the  last  day  (John  vii.  37  ;  vi.  57,  40). 

2d.  The  Church  Desires  Us  to  Receive  Holy  Communion  Fre- 
quently.—  In  the  first  ages  of  the  Church,  the  Christians  received  Holy 


ON  COMMUNION  4,^ 

Communion  every  day.  The  apostles,  instructed  by  Christ,  established 
this  pious  custom  among  the  faithful,  and  it  was  observed  during  sev- 
eral centuries.  Relaxation  having  introduced  itself  by  and  by,  the 
faithful  kept  away  more  and  more  from  this  divine  banquet.  But  the 
spirit  of  the  Church  always  remained  the  same,  and  the  General  Coun- 
cil of  Trent  invited  the  faithful  in  the  most  touching  terms — "By  the 
bowels  of  God's  mercy" — to  live  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  worthy 
to  receive  the  bread  of  angels  frequently ;  and  it  goes  even  so  far 
as  to  express  the  desire  that  all  those  who  assist  at  Mass  should  receive 
Holy  Communion  at  the  same  time. 

3d.  We  Need  Holy  Communion  for  the  Wants  of  Our  Soul. — Every 
day  our  soul  is  surrounded  by  darkness,  exposed  to  be  seduced  and 
blinded  by  the  errors,  the  prejudices,  and  the  false  maxims  of  the 
world.  Every  day  our  soul  is  surrounded  by  evil,  dragged  towards 
sin  by  our  passions,  by  the  artifices  of  the  devil,  and  by  the  example  of 
the  world.  Consequently,  we  need  this  heavenly  food  to  sustain  and 
strengthen  us. 

Frequent  communion  is  the  great  remedy  for  all  the  evils  of  the 
soul  and  the  inexhaustible  source  of  all  grace.  Therefore,  receive  Holy 
Communion  often,  whoever  you  may  be,  but  you  especially,  young 
people  of  both  sexes,  whose  passions  are  often  so  violent  and  who  find 
yourselves  daily  exposed  to  so  many  dangers. 

Do  not  say  that  your  conscience  does  not  permit  you  to  do  so,  for 
it  depends  entirely  on  yourselves  to  purify  and  prepare  yourselves.  Un- 
doubtedly, you  are  not  worthy,  and  you  never  will  be  worthy  of  re- 
ceiving Jesus  Christ,  the  Holy  of  Holies ;  but  it  is  Jesus  Himself  who 
invites  and  urges  you  to  receive  Him  in  the  Holy  Communion.  Do  not 
say  that  you  have  no  time;  for  how  can  time  be  better  employed.? 
And  who  cannot  find,  if  he  wishes,  an  hour  in  a  week,  or  in  a  month, 
or,  at  least,  on  all  the  great  feasts,  to  fulfill  such  an  essential  duty  and 
to  procure  for  himself  such  precious  advantages? 

Holy  Communion  produces  fruits  according  to  the  preparation 
made  to  receive  it.  Therefore,  always  receive  it  with  the  best  disposi- 
tions possible. 


420  FOURTH  PART.      IX.   INSTRUCTION 

IX.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the   Holy  Communion  ( Concluded) 

Necessary  Dispositions 

The  preparation  which  we  should  bring  to  Holy  Communion  is  of 
two  kinds:  the  preparation  of  the  body  and  the  preparation  of  the 
soul. 

I.  The  preparation  of  the  body  can  be  reduced  to  two  points  :  fast- 
ing and  modesty. 

The  fast  necessary  before  Holy  Communion  consists  in  not  taking 
any  food  or  drink  from  midnight.  This  law  was  established  by  the 
Church  out  of  respect  for  this  august  sacrament,  and  to  prevent  the 
inconveniences  or  abuses  which  might  result  from  the  contrary  custom. 
This  law,  according  to  the  opinion  of  all  the  Doctors  of  the  Church, 
admits  of  no  lightness  of  matter,  either  in  the  quantity  taken,  or 
in  the  length  of  time  elapsed  since  midnight,  so  that,  even  if  one 
would  have  taken  only  a  drop  of  water,  after  the  clock  has  struck 
midnight,  he  cannot  go  to  Communion.  Like  all  the  laws  of  the 
Church,  it  obliges  under  pain  of  mortal  sin.  There  is  an  exception 
for  the  things  which  one  may  have  swallowed  in  the  course  of  respira- 
tion, as  dust,  rain,  a  snowflake,  or  the  vapor  of  food  preparing  on 
the  stove.  Anything  put  into  the  mouth  for  the  purpose  of  tasting, 
or  for  cleansing  the  teeth,  and  which  is  rejected  immediately  before 
a  drop  or  morsel  has  passed  to  the  stomach,  does  not  break  the  fast. 

This  law  does  not  apply  at  all  to  the  sick  who  are  in  danger  of 
death.  Holy  Communion  can  be  given  to  the  sick  or  to  those  in  dan- 
ger of  death,  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night.  This  Communion  is 
called  the  Viaticum.  The  Church,  like  a  good  and  tender  mother, 
is  careful  not  to  deprive  her  children  of  such  a  necessary  nourishment, 
when  they  are  in  danger  of  death.  If  the  illness  continues,  the  sick 
person  can  communicate  several  times  by  way  of  Viaticum^  but  there 
should  be  an  interval  of  a  few  days  between  the  communions. 

The  second  exterior  preparation  is  modesty.  This  consists  in 
cleanliness  of  the  body,  decency  of  dress,  and  propriety  in  behavior. 

1st.  Cleanliness  of  the  Body. — When  we  visit  the  great  ones  of  the 
earth,  we  are  very  careful  of  our  exterior  appearance.  Why  should 
we  not  show,  at  least,  the  same  care  of  ourselves  and  respect  for  God 
before  receiving  the  Holy  Communion? 


ON   COMMUNION 


421 


2d.  Decency  of  Dress. —  Days  of  communion  are  festival  days. 
Hence,  we  should  put  on  our  best  clothes,  and  arrange  them  in  a 
becoming  and  decent  manner,  but  without  luxury  and  worldliness. 
If  vanity  and  worldly  luxury  are  always  out  of  place,  they  are  espe- 
cially so  in  so  holy  an  act  as  the  Holy  Communion.  God  looks  es- 
pecially at  the  heart;  hence,  the  poor  who  have  done  their  best  to 
make  a  good  appearance  need  not  fear  to  come  into  His  adorable 
presence  if  their  hearts  are  pure  and  well  prepared. 

3d.  Propriety  of  Behavior. —  He  would  be  guilty  of  great  irrever- 
ence who  should  go  to  the  holy  table  with  a  dissipated  mien,  looking 
all  about  him,  and  with  a  hasty  walk.  A  really  pious  and  faithful 
soul,  at  the  time  of  communion,  should  forget  the  exterior  world, 
banish  all  earthly  thoughts,  and  think  only  of  his  nothingness  and 
unworthiness,  and  of  the  grandeur  of  the  God  whom  he  is  about  to 
receive.  The  body  will  then,  of  itself,  take  a  posture  in  keeping 
with  the  pious  sentiments  of  the  soul.  We  should  approach  this 
heavenly  banquet  with  the  hands  joined  and  the  head  respectfully 
inclined. 

II.  But  the  preparation  of  the  soul  is  the  most  important.  If  there 
are  many  who  do  not  profit  by  Holy  Communion,  it  is  because  they  do 
not  prepare  themselves  sufficiently.  Jesus  entered  the  bosom  of  Mary 
and  she  was  overwhelmed  with  graces;  He  entered  the  house  of  Zach- 
arias,  and  John  the  Baptist  was  sanctified  in  his  mother's  womb  and 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost ;  Jesus  entered  the  house  of  Zacheus,  and 
from  a  sinner  the  publican  became  a  just  man;  finally,  He  entered  the 
house  of  Mary  and  Martha,  and  they  became  models  of  piety  and 
zeal. 

What  is  the  spiritual  preparation  for  this  adorable  sacrament? 
The  first  and  most  indispensable  of  all  is  the  state  of  grace.  The 
Holy  Eucharist  is  the  nourishment  of  the  soul.  Now,  nourishment 
supposes  life.  Therefore,  the  soul  must  live  the  life  of  grace,  so  that 
this  divine  nourishment  may  produce  its  effects. 

It  is  this  state  of  grace  which  Jesus  Christ  spoke  of  under  the  fig- 
ure of  the  nuptial  garment,  with  which  all  had  to  be  clothed  who 
were  invited  to  the  table  of  the  king.  You  know  one  of  the  guests 
was  not  clothed  with  this  wedding  garment  at  the  arrival  of  the  king, 
and  he  was  bound  hand  and  foot  and  cast  into  exterior  darkness  —  an 
image  of  the  eternal  flames  which  are  prepared  for  all  those  who  com- 
municate in  the  state  of  mortal  sin  (Matt.  xxii.  13). 


422 


FOURTH   PART.      IX.    INSTRUCTION 


There  is  no  crime  more  fearful  than  that  of  an  unworthy  commun- 
ion. To  lodge  unclean  animals  in  a  Church,  or  to  make  it  the  theatre 
of  a  guilty  passion,  would  be,  undoubtedly,  a  horrible  sin  against  the 
majesty  of  God ;  to  take  the  crucifix  from  the  altar  and  to  drag  it  in 
the  mire,  would  be  an  enormous  crime  ;  but  this  sacrilege  would  not 
be  so  great  as  the  crime  of  an  unworthy  communion,  because  these  are 
material  objects.  The  unworthy  communicant  does  not  merely  dese- 
crate the  temple  of  God,  but  he  profanes  God  Himself,  the  body  and 
blood,  the  soul  and  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ. 

This  crime,  my  brethren,  has  always  been  regarded  by  the  Fathers 
of  the  Church  as  so  abominable  that  they  do  not  hesitate  to  compare 
it  to  the  crime  of  the  infamous  Judas  who  betrayed  his  divine  Master. 
Indeed,  what  signs  of  malice  are  found  in  the  conduct  of  this  perfidi- 
ous disciple  which  we  do  not  also  find  in  the  conduct  of  the  Christian 
who  communicates  unworthily?  Judas  was  the  disciple  of  the  Sav- 
iour ;  so  also  is  the  Christian.  Judas  sold  his  divine  Master  for  thirty 
pieces  of  silver;  the  sacrilegious  sinner  delivers  Jesus  to  the  devil  for  a 
vile  pleasure,  for  a  false  shame,  or  for  some  miserable  gain.  Judas 
betrayed  our  Lord  with  a  kiss;  so,  also,  does  the  unworthy  communicant 
approach  the  holy  table  with  all  the  appearances  of  respect  and  love, 
while  the  devil  is  in  his  heart. 

How  terrible,  too,  are  the  consequences  of  an  unworthy  commun- 
ion !  St.  Paul  says  that  he  who  eats  and  drinks  unworthily  the  body 
and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  eats  and  drinks  unto  himself  damnation :  He 
that  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  judgment  to 
himself  {\.  Cor.  xi.  29). 

Among  certain  nations  of  antiquity,  the  guilty  persons  condemned 
to  capital  punishment  were  obliged  to  swallow  the  paper  which  con- 
tained the  sentence  of  their  condemnation,  but  in  sacrilegious  com- 
munion the  sinner  eats  and  drinks  unto  himself  both  his  judgment  and 
his  condemnation.  What  can  be  more  terrible?  "If  this  judgment 
were  written  only  upon  paper,*'  says  a  pious  author,  **  it  could  be  torn 
to  pieces;  if  it  were  engraved  upon  wood,  it  could  be  burnt;  if  it  were 
stamped  upon  bronze,  it  could  be  effaced ;  but  when  a  sinner  has  eaten 
and  drunk  his  own  judgment  and  condemnation,  and  when  this  judg- 
ment has  entered  his  veins  and  permeated  the  very  marrow  of  his 
bones,  when  it  has  become  changed  into  his  own  blood  and  substance, 
how  can  it  be  destroyed?  *' 

Blindness  of  the  mind,  hardness  of  the  heart,  and  final  impenitence. 


ON  COMMUNION 


423 


are  the  results  of  an  unworthy  communion.  Recall  to  your  mind  the 
example  of  the  infamous  Judas.  Hardly  had  he  consummated  his 
crime,  when  he  became  insensible  to  the  admonitions  of  his  divine 
Master,  who  still  called  him  by  the  sweet  name  of  friend  :  Friend^ 
whereto  art  thou  come  (Matt.  xi.  4).  Instead  of  having  recourse  to 
penance,  Judas  gives  way  to  despair  and  hangs  himself  to  a  tree. 
Like  Judas,  the  unworthy  communicant  becomes  spiritually  insensi- 
ble ;  he  shuts  his  eyes  to  the  most  holy  and  most  terrible  truths ; 
he  smothers  the  remorse  of  conscience  which  he  might  have  still  in 
his  soul;  he  heaps  crime  upon  crime:  he  falls  from  one  abyss  into 
another,  until,  finally,  death  surprises  him  and  plunges  him  into  the 
everlasting  flames  of  hell. 

Ah,  my  brethren,  be  on  your  guard!  Before  approaching  the  holy 
table  examine  your  conscience:  But  let  a  man  prove  himself  {\.  Cor. 
XI.  23)  ;  and  if  you  find  yourselves  guilty  of  a  grievous  sin,  throw 
yourselves  at  the  feet  of  some  charitable  confessor,  confess  your  sins, 
expiate  them  by  a  sincere  penance,  and  go  to  Holy  Communion  only 
after  having  received  absolution. 

III.  Purity  of  the  soul  is  the  first  and  most  necessary  of  all  dispo- 
sitions. But  if  you  wish  that  your  communions  should  be  profitable 
to  you,  do  not  limit  yourselves  to  this.  When  the  holy  King  David 
desired  to  build  a  temple  to  the  Lord,  he  gathered  all  that  was  most 
precious  and  magnificent  in  the  riches  of  nature,  saying  that,  **  It 
is  not  for  man  but  for  God  that  a  dwelling  is  to  be  prepared.**  If 
a  king  were  to  visit  you,  would  you  not  strive  to  receive  him  in  a 
manner  becoming  to  his  dignity?  But  when  the  King  of  kings  comes 
to  visit  you,  let  him  find  in  your  soul  a  dwelling  that  is  agreeable  to 
Him. 

After  the  soul  is  in  the  state  of  grace,  purify  it  as  much  as  possible 
from  venial  sins.  Venial  sins  do  not  render  communion  unworthy, 
but  they  hinder  the  soul  from  drawing  all  the  profit  of  this  holy 
action.  The  purer  the  soul  is,  the  more  does  grace  operate  in  it ;  the 
more  love  the  soul  has  for  God,  the  more  God  communicates  Himself 
to  it.  We  cannot,  indeed,  keep  ourselves  free  from  every  stain  of 
sin  ;  but  we  can  and  must  avoid  the  habit  of  sin  and  affection  for 
•certain  venial  faults,  and  we  should  do  penance  for  these  faults  which 
we  have  committed  through  human  frailty. 

A  second  disposition  of  the  soul  is  detachment  from  creatures. 
There  are  legitimate  attachments  which  God  permits  and  approves, 


424 


FOURTH   PART.      IX.    INSTRUCTION 


and  which  are  in  the  design  of  Providence.  But  there  are  attach- 
ments which  are  inordinate  and  blameworthy,  either  because  they  have 
not  God  for  first  and  principal  object,  or  because  they  are  too  lively 
and  too  tender.  We  must  purify  ourselves  from  these  inordinate 
affections  before  Holy  Communion,  because  they  lessen  the  intimate 
union  which  Jesus  Christ  desires  to  contract  with  us  in  this  sacrament 
of  love.  It  is  this  detachment  from  the  creatures  which  God  prefig- 
ured in  the  law  of  Moses,  when  He  commanded  his  people  to  eat  the 
paschal  lamb  with  wild  lettuces,  the  body  erect,  the  loins  girded,  and 
a  cane  in  hand ;  as  if  to  remind  us  that  we  are  only  travelers  in  this 
world,  that  this  earth  is  only  a  place  of  exile,  and  that  our  real  coun- 
try is  heaven  and  that  heaven  should  be  the  object  of  all  our  thoughts 
and  affections. 

Finally,  we  must  neglect  nothing  that  can  excite  in  us  devotion  and 
fervor.  Voluntary  mortifications,  the  practice  of  good  works,  visits 
to  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  pious  reading,  meditation  on  our  last  end, 
are  all  very  useful  in  preparing  for  Holy  Communion.  But  especially 
on  the  eve  of  the  happy  day,  it  is  well  to  increase  your  attention  and 
devotion.  Then  you  should  say  to  yourselves  :  "  Who  is  it  that  I  am 
going  to  receive  to-morrow?  It  is  my  God,  the  Holy  of  Holies,  the 
One  whose  perfections  enrapture  the  whole  heavenly  court.  But  who 
am  I,  O  my  God?  A  sinner,  a  worm  of  the  earth.  Do  I  merit  to  re- 
ceive Thee  into  my  soul?  No,  my  Lord,  I  am  much  more  unworthy 
than  the  centurion  of  the  Gospel.  However,  I  remember  that  Thou 
hast  said:  ^Come  to  me  all  you  that  are  laden  and  heavily  burdened, 
and  I  shall  comfort  you.*  I  shall  approach  Thy  holy  table  with  hope 
and  full  confidence  that  Thou  wilt  not  reject  a  heart  that  loves  Thee, 
that  desires  Thee,  and  would  rather  die  than  ever  offend  Thee  again.'* 

Such  are  the  pious  sentiments  with  which  you  should  be  animated 
on  the  eve  of  Holy  Communion.  On  going  to  bed,  try  to  fall  asleep 
with  the  thought  that  on  the  next  day  you  will  have  the  happiness  of 
sitting  at  the  table  of  the  King  of  kings.  If  you  should  awake  during 
the  night,  occupy  yourselves  with  the  same  holy  thoughts.  In  the 
morning,  you  should  rise  promptly,  and  say:  *Oh,  what  a  beautiful 
day  for  me!'*  Go  to  Church  early;  during  Mass  recite  the  acts  of 
adoration,  of  humility,  contrition,  confidence,  and  love  towards  God 
and  your  neighbor.  Finally,  when  the  time  comes,  approach  the 
holy  table,  and,  in  receiving  Jesus  Christ  into  your  heart,  think  of 
the  Blessed  Virgin  at  the  moment  of  the  Incarnation  of  the  Word. 


ON   THE   SACRIFICE   OF   THE   MASS  425 

Adore  God  within  your  heart,  bless  Hmi,  love  Him,  like  this  tender 
mother  when  she  carried  Him  in  her  womb.  Offer  to  Him  the  adora- 
tion and  love  of  the  whole  heavenly  choir.  Having  returned  to  your 
place,  prostrate  yourselves  in  spirit  at  His  feet,  like  Mary  Magdalen, 
embrace  and  wash  them  with  your  tears.  Keep  yourselves  for  some 
time  profoundly  recollected,  in  order  to  permit  your  heart  to  be  en- 
kindled with  the  fire  of  divine  love,  and  cry  out,  like  St.  Elizabeth  : 
**  Whence  is  this  to  me,  that  not  the  mother  of  my  God,  but  my 
God  Himself  has  come  to  visit  me  in  the  poor  house  of  my  soul!  ** 
Express  to  your  God  sentiments  of  the  most  lively  gratitude ;  offer 
Him  in  thanksgiving  your  heart,  your  mind,  your  whole  self,  with  all 
that  is  dearest  to  you  in  the  world ;  ask  Him  for  the  goods  of  which 
you  stand  in  need  for  yourselves,  for  your  parents,  friends,  and  bene- 
factors ;  pray  also  for  the  Church,  as  this  is  the  most  favorable  mo- 
ment to  obtain  all  graces.  After  having  entertained  yourselves  thus 
with  your  God,  at  least  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  leave  the  Church 
modestly,  praying  God  never  to  permit  you  to  be  separated  from  Him, 
and  to  grant  you  the  grace  to  live  in  such  a  manner  that  you  may  pos- 
sess Him  in  heaven  for  all  eternity.     Amen. 


X.     INSTRUCTION 

On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass 

Its  Nature,  Excellence  and  Effects 

Before  entering  on  the  explanation  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass, 
it  is  necessary  to  explain  what  we  understand  by  sacrifice  in  general. 

I.  A  sacrifice  is  a  solemn  offering  made  to  God,  by  a  lawful  min- 
ister, of  a  sensible  and  visible  thing,  accompanied  by  the  destruction 
or  change  of  the  thing  offered. 

1st.  I  say  that  the  sacrifice  is  a  solemn  offerings  because,  indeed,  in 
religion,  there  is  no  action  more  imposing,  more  august,  more  holy, 
than  a  sacrifice. 

2d.  Made  to  God,  because  a  sacrifice,  being  an  act  of  adoration, 
and  adoration  being  due  to  God  alone,  sacrifices  can  be  offered  only  to 


426 


FOURTH    PART.      X.    INSTRUCTION 


God.  The  demons  caused  the  pagans  to  offer  sacrifices  to  themselves 
because  they  wished  to  be  adored  as  gods. 

3d.  By  a  lawful  minister.  A  sacrifice  being  a  public  and  sacred 
act,  there  must  be  a  consecration,  or  an  explicit  deputation,  in  order  to 
be  able  to  offer  it.  This  divine  function  has  always  been  reserved 
to  the  priests.  Core,  Dathan,  and  Abiron  were  swallowed  up  alive 
into  the  earth,  for  having  attempted  to  offer  sacrifice  without  a  lawful 
ordination. 

4th.  Of  a  sensible  and  visible  thing;  to  distinguish  it  from  inte- 
rior and  invisible  offerings,  which  are  not  properly  sacrifices. 

5th.  Accompanied  by  the  destruction  or  change  of  the  thing 
offered.  If  the  thing  offered  be  a  living  thing  it  must  be  killed ;  if  it 
has  no  life,  like  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  it  must  be  burnt  by  fire.  By 
destroying  or  changing  the  thing  offered  in  sacrifice,  one  renders  hom- 
age to  the  sovereign  dominion  of  God,  who  is  the  Lord  and  Master  of 
all  creatures,  and,  therefore.  He  alone  has  the  right  over  life  and 
death. 

Men  have  at  all  times  offered  sacrifices.  Cain  and  Abel  offered 
sacrifices  to  God;  the  one  of  the  first  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  the  other 
of  the  best  of  his  flocks.  Melchisedech,  king  of  Salem,  in  his  quality 
as  priest  of  the  Most  High,  offered  to  God  bread  and  wine — a  strik- 
ing figure  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  New  Law.  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob  also  offered  sacrifices  to  God.  And  when  the  Lord  had  drawn 
His  people  out  of  the  bondage  of  Egypt,  He  prescribed  to  them  the 
nature  and  the  manner  of  the  sacrifices,  established  a  priesthood  in  the 
family  of  Aaron,  and  decreed  that  his  descendants  alone  should  have 
the  right  to  offer  sacrifices. 

The  pagans  themselves  were  in  the  habit  of  offering  to  their  false 
deities  the  fruits  of  the  earth  or  the  blood  of  the  victims  slain,  and  his- 
tory makes  mention  of  famous  hecatombs  where  a  hundred  oxen  were 
sacrificed  at  one  time. 

Why  have  all  men,  since  the  beginning  of  the  world,  offered  sacri- 
fices to  the  Deity?  It  was  to  acknowledge  and  to  avow  their  entire 
dependence,  to  calm  the  wrath  of  God  and  to  satisfy  His  justice  irri- 
tated by  their  crimes,  to  ask  Him  for  the  graces  and  benefits  they  were 
in  need  of,  and  to  show  their  gratitude  for  His  gifts. 

II.  Under  the  law  of  nature,  as  under  the  law  of  Moses,  God  was 
pleased  to  content  Himself  with  these  rough  sacrifices  which  consisted 
in  the  immolation  of  animals  or  in  the  offering  of  the  fruits  of  the 


ON   THE   SACRIFICE   OF  THE    MASS  427 

earth.  However,  these  sacrifices  were  far  from  being  worthy  of  Him. 
They  had  virtue  only  in  as  much  as  they  were  offered  in  the  faith  and 
the  hope  of  a  coming  Redeemer,  of  whose  immolation  they  were  a  fig- 
ure. In  order  that  a  sacrifice  may  be  worthy  of  God,  and  that  it  may 
expiate  the  sins  committed  against  Him,  two  things  are  indispensable: 
a  victim  which  is  perfectly  agreeable  to  God,  and  a  priest  holy,  inno- 
cent, undejiled,  as  St.  Paul  says,  separated  from  sinners  and  made 
higher  than  the  heavens,  who  needed  not  daily  to  offer  sacrijices  first 
for  his  own  sins,  and  then  for  the  sins  of  the  people  (Hebr.  vii.  26). 
In  a  word,  a  God  should  be  the  victim,  and  a  God  should  be  the  priest 
who  sacrifices. 

The  eternal  Word  in  His  infinite  wisdom  found  a  means  of  accom- 
plishing this.  The  adorable  Son  of  God  said  to  His  Father  :  Sacri- 
fices and  oblations  and  holocausts  for  sin  thou  ivouldst  not. 
Behold,  I  come  to  do  thy  will  (Hebr.  x.  7).  He  clothed  Himself  with 
our  nature  in  order  to  render  Himself  subject  to  suffering  and  to  sacri- 
fice ;  and  after  having  passed  thirty-three  years  in  obscurity  and 
humiliations  and  suffering.  He  consummated  upon  Calvary  the  great 
sacrifice  for  which  He  had  come  down  upon  earth,  and  spilled  the 
last  drop  of  His  blood  in  expiation  of  the  sins  of  mankind. 

The  sacrifice  which  our  Saviour  offered  upon  the  cross,  being  of 
an  infinite  price,  was,  undoubtedly,  sufficient  to  repair  the  injury 
which  sin  had  caused  to  God,  and  at  the  same  time  to  render  to  Him 
the  glory  that  is  due  to  Him.  However,  as  this  bloody  sacrifice 
could  be  offered  only  once,  and  in  only  one  place  in  the  world ;  and 
as,  nevertheless,  a  sacrifice  was  needed  which  could  be  offered  every- 
where and  until  the  end  of  time,  according  to  the  words  of  the 
prophet,  the  adorable  Son  of  God  again  found  the  means  to  perpetu- 
ate and  to  universalize  this  sacrifice,  by  instituting  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass,  which  is  not  only  a  memorial,  but  also  a  renewal  of  the  sacrifice 
upon  Calvary. 

III.  What  is  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass?  It  is  a  sacrifice  in  which 
Jesus  Christ  is  offered  to  God  under  the  form  of  bread  and  wine. 

The  Mass  is  a  sacrifice,  because  it  contains  all  the  necessary  condi- 
tions such  as  we  have  explained  them.  It  is  the  offering  of  a  sensible 
and  visible  thing,  that  is,  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  con- 
tained under  the  species  of  bread  and  wine.  This  offering  is  made  to 
God,  for  to  God  alone  we  offer  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass ;  it  is  made 
by  a  lawful  minister,  that  is,  by  the  priests  to  whom  Jesus  Christ  has 


428 


FOURTH  PART.     X.  INSTRUCTION 


given  the  power,  when  at  the  Last  Supper  and  after  the  institution  of 
the  Eucharist,  as  sacrament  and  as  sacrifice.  He  said  to  them  in  the 
person  of  the  apostles:  Do  this  in  conunemoration  of  Me.  Finally, 
there  is  an  immolation  of  the  victim,  because  Jesus  Christ,  after  the 
consecration,  is  present  upon  our  altars  as  in  a  state  of  death,  without 
movement  and  without  apparent  life,  and  because  the  separate  species 
of  bread  and  wine  represent  to  us  the  death  of  His  body  and  the  shed- 
ding of  His  blood. 

Is  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  the  same  as  that  of  the  cross?  Yes,  it 
is  the  same  sacrifice,  because  the  priest  is  the  same  priest  and  the 
victim  is  the  same.  Jesus  was  the  priest  upon  Calvary,  and  Jesus  is 
the  priest  at  the  altar,  because  the  priest  at  the  altar  represents  Jesus 
Christ,  being  His  minister  and  acting  in  His  name.  This  is  why  at 
the  consecration  the  priest  does  not  say :  This  is  the  body  of  yesus 
Christ,  but,  This  is  My  body  —  This  is  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ, 
but.  This  is  My  blood.  The  victim  is  the  same  as  upon  Calvary;  that 
is,  Jesus  Christ  immolates  Himself  by  the  hands  of  the  priest  as  He 
immolated  Himself  upon  the  cross.  Through  the  power  of  the  words 
of  consecration,  Jesus  is  put  in  the  state  of  Victim;  He  does  not  really 
die,  but  He  dies  in  a  mystic  manner.  Being  risen  from  the  dead.  He 
cannot  die  corporally;  but  if  He  could  die,  the  sacramental  words,  like 
a  mysterious  sword,  would  separate  His  body  from  His  blood. 

But  though  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
cross,  the  manner  of  offering  it  is  different ;  for  on  Calvary,  Jesus 
Christ  really  shed  His  blood,  whilst  upon  our  altar.  He  sheds  it  only 
in  a  mystic  manner ;  His  death  is  only  represented.  Upon  Calvary  he 
immolated  Himself  through  the  hands  of  the  executioners,  whilst  upon 
the  altar  He  immolates  Himself  through  the  intermediary  of  the  priest. 

Since  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  the  same  as  the  sacrifice  of  the 
cross,  we  must  conclude  that  it  is  of  an  infinite  price  and  value,  and 
that  it  procures  to  God  the  same  glory,  and  to  men  the  same  advan- 
tages, as  the  sacrifice  on  Calvary. 

IV.  Why  was  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  instituted?  For  four  rea- 
sons :  to  adore  God,  to  thank  Him  for  His  benefits,  to  appease  His 
wrath,  and  to  obtain  pardon  for  our  crimes;  finally,  to  obtain  from  His 
goodness  the  graces  of  which  we  stand  in  need.  In  other  words,  the 
sacrifice  of  the  Mass  contains  in  itself  the  virtue  of  the  four  sacrifices 
of  the  Old  Law,  which  were  called  the  Burnt  offering,  the  Eucha- 
ristic,  the  Propitiatory,  and  the  Impetratory. 


ON  THE   SACRIFICE   OF   THE   MASS  420 

1st.  To  Adore  God. —  Of  ourselves  we  are  unable  to  render  to  Him 
the  honor  and  homage  that  are  due  to  Him.  There  is  no  comparison 
between  us  sinners  and  miserable  worms  of  the  earth,  and  God  who  is 
grandeur  and  holiness  itself.  We  can  glorify  God,  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent, by  our  virtues  and  good  works ;  but  the  glory  which  we  procure 
to  Him  thereby  is,  and  will  always  be,  infinitely  below  what  He 
merits.  Only  a  God  can  glorify  Himself  in  a  manner  worthy  of  Him- 
self; in  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and  there  only,  do  we  find  the 
means  to  render  to  God  an  homage  worthy  of  Him.  The  Mass  being 
the  offering  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  it  follows  that  it 
has  an  infinite  price,  and  that,  consequently,  it  procures  to  God  an 
infinite  honor  and  glory.  One  single  Mass  honors  God  infinitely  more 
than  all  men  and  all  angels  together  could  do.  It  is  related  of  a  saint, 
that,  one  day,  being  afflicted  because  she  could  not  render  to  God  the 
honor  He  merited,  and  telling  Him  of  her  desire  of  having  all  the 
hearts  and  all  the  tongues  of  men  and  all  the  fervor  of  the  seraphim  to 
adore  Him  and  to  bless  Him  in  a  worthy  manner,  the  Lord  appeared 
to  her  and  said  :  ^*  Console  thyself,  my  daughter,  because  with  one 
single  Mass  which  thou  hearest  devoutly  thou  canst  render  to  Me  all 
the  glory  thou  dost  desire  and  which  I  merit." 

2d.  To  Thank  God  for  His  Benefits. — We  are  all  indebted  to  God's 
goodness,  both  in  the  order  of  nature  and  in  the  order  of  grace.  The 
benefits  with  which  He  has  overwhelmed  us  thus  far  and  with  which 
He  overwhelms  us  every  day,  are  numberless.  .  .  .  But  how  can 
we  show  to  God  our  gratitude  for  such  love  and  goodness?  Will  it 
be  by  the  voluntary  oblation  of  our  goods,  of  our  labors,  of  our  entire 
life?  But  all  these  belong  to  Him,  and,  moreover,  what  would  they 
all  be  in  comparison  with  the  gifts  God  has  showered  down  upon  us? 
The  only  means  is  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  By  this,  we  offer  to 
God  a  present  really  worthy  of  Him,  because  we  offer  to  Him  His 
only  Son,  the  object  of  all  His  complacency,  and  who  belongs  to  us, 
because  He  has  given  Himself  to  us:  For  a  child  is  born  to  us  (Is. 
IX.  6).  This  is  why  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  called  Eucharistic, 
which  means  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving.  This  is  why  the  priest  in  the 
celebration  of  the  sacred  mysteries  cries  :  **  Let  us  render  thanks  to  the 
Lord,  our  God  *  —  Gratias  agafnus  Domino  Deo  nostro.  And  all  the 
people  answer:  **  Yes,  it  is  meet  and  just  *^ — Dignum  et  justum  est. 

3d.  To  appease  the  ivrath  of  God  and  obtain  the  pardon  of  our 
sins.      The  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  does  not,  indeed,  efface  our  grievous 


43° 


FOURTH   PART.      X.  INSTRUCTION 


sins.  Only  contrition  and  the  sacraments  instituted  for  that  purpose 
have  this  virtue.  .  .  .  But  it  remits  venial  sins,  and,  at  least  in 
part,  the  temporal  punishment  which  we  are  to  undergo  either  in  this 
world  or  in  the  next.  The  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  especially /rc>////a- 
tory  in  that  it  obtains  for  us  the  grace  of  conversion,  and  such  great 
graces  that,  if  we  correspond  with  them,  it  becomes  very  easy  for  us, 
as  the  holy  Council  of  Trent  teaches,  to  reconcile  ourselves  with  the 
Lord.  And,  indeed,  if  the  blood  of  goats  and  oxen,  which  were  im- 
molated in  the  Old  Law,  was  capable  of  purifying  those  who  had  con- 
tracted some  legal  stain,  why  should  not  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
have  the  power  to  wash  our  souls  from  the  stains  of  sin  }  When  I  see 
a  priest  at  the  altar,  it  appears  to  me  that  I  see  Jesus  Christ  Himself 
prostrate  at  the  feet  of  His  Father,  and  hear  Him  saying:  **  My  Father, 
pardon  these  criminals  who  have  merited  the  weight  of  Thy  venge- 
ance;  I  ask  pardon  for  them:  For  them  do  I  sanctify  mystlf  (John 
XVII.  19).  They  merit,  indeed,  all  the  rigor  of  Thy  anger,  but  behold 
the  same  blood,  the  same  victim  which  formerly  disarmed  Thy  reveng- 
ing hands  upon  Calvary ;  look  on  the  face  of  Thy  Son  who  intercedes 
for  them  :  Look  on  the  face  of  thy  Christ  (Fs.  lxxxiii.  10)  and  show 
them  mercy. '^  How  can  God  remain  insensible  to  such  a  touching 
voice?  How  could  He  let  fall  the  arm  of  His  wrath  upon  a  sinner 
covered  with  the  blood  of  His  divine  Son?  No,  the  power  of  the  holy 
sacrifice  is  so  great  that  without  it,  say  several  Fathers  of  the  Church, 
the  world  would  have  perished  long  ago,  on  account  of  the  numberless 
crimes  committed ;  like  Sodom  and  Gomorrha  it  would  have  been  con- 
sumed by  fire  from  heaven.  The  power  is  so  great  that  it  can  change 
the  most  hardened  sinner  into  a  saint  if  he  assist  at  this  holy  sacrifice 
with  the  proper  dispositions. 

4th.  To  ask  for  the  graces  we  are  in  need  of,  either  for  the  soul 
or  for  the  body.  Jesus  Christ  has  said  that  whatever  we  ask  of  the 
Father  in  His  name  He  will  give  it  to  us.  If  you  ask  the  Father 
anything  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it  to  you  (John  xvi.  23).  It  is 
for  this  reason  that  the  Church  always  ends  her  prayers  with  the 
words:  Per  Dominufn  nostrum  Jesum  Christum.  What,  then,  must 
be  our  confidence,  since  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  by  immolating  Himself 
upon  the  altar,  is  pleased  to  interest  Himself  in  us,  and  to  pray  for  us! 
What  graces,  either  spiritual  or  temporal,  may  we  not  expect  from 
His  all-powerful  mediation!  It  is  in  this  sense  that  the  sacrifice  of 
the  Mass  is  called  impetratory  / 


ON   THE   SACRIFICE   OF  THE   MASS 


431 


These  are  the  four  principal  ends  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  In 
the  Mass  we  render  to  God  all  the  honor  He  merits ;  we  show  to  Him 
a  gratitude  equal  to  His  benefits ;  we  obtain  the  pardon  of  our  sins ; 
and  we  receive  all  the  graces  we  need.  O  wonderful  sacrifice!  O 
the  inestimable  price,  the  infinite  value  of  the  holy  Mass ! 

With  what  sentiments  of  respect,  love,  contrition,  and  confidence 
should  we  not  assist  at  it !  Let  us  thank  God  for  such  an  ineffable 
benefit,  and  let  us  beg  Him  to  give  us  the  grace  to  profit  by  it  in  future 
better  than  we  have  done  in  the  past !     Amen. 


XI.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass   (  Concluded) 

Manner  of  Assisting  at  Mass 

In  the  last  instruction,  I  spoke  of  the  nature  of  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass,  its  excellence,  and  effects.  To-day,  I  shall  teach  you  to  ivkom 
and  ivhy  we  offer  this  sacrifice,  the  dispositions  we  should  have  in  as- 
sisting at  Mass,  and  the  best  method  oj"  hearing  yiass  well. 

I.  To  whom  do  we  offer  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass.-*  To  God  alone; 
because  to  God  alone  Jesus  Christ  offered  Himself  upon  the  cross. 
But  being  an  act  of  adoration  by  which  we  acknowledge  God  as  the 
sovereign  Creator  and  Master  of  all  things,  it  is  evident  that  it  can  be 
offered  only  to  God.  When  a  priest  says  Mass  in  honor  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  or  of  the  Saints,  it  is  not  to  offer  the  sacrifice  to  them,  but 
solely  to  thank  the  Lord  for  the  graces  which  He  gave  them,  and 
to  obtain,  through  their  intercession,  the  graces  of  which  we  are  in 
need. 

For  whom  is  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  offered  ?  We  offer  it  for  the 
living  and  the  dead.  Hence,  the  double  Memento  by  which  both  are 
remembered  in  the  holy  sacrifice.  In  the  Memento  of  the  living  even 
the  infidels,  Jews,  and  heretics  are  remembered,  because  God  wishes 
the  salvation  of  all  men.  But  it  is  especially  for  the  faithful,  true 
children  of  the  Church,  that  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  offered, 
as  is  expressed   in  the  offering  of  the   sacred  host:     Suscipe  sancte 


432 


FOURTH   PART.      XL   INSTRUCTION 


Pater.  ...  In  this  prayer,  the  priest  prays  for  the  head  of  the 
Church,  our  holy  Father,  for  the  bishop  and  the  powers  of  the  earth, 
for  parents,  friends,  and  all  those  who  have  recommended  themselves 
to  his  prayers,  and  for  those  in  particular  who  assist  at  Mass.  But 
the  sacrifice  is  offered  especially  for  those  who  caused  the  Mass  to  be 
said ;  for  they  are  recommended  by  name  in  the  Memento. 

But  besides  this  mention  of  the  Living.,  it  is  also  the  desire  of  the 
Church  that  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  should  be  offered  up  for  the 
Dead;  that  is,  for  the  souls  in  purgatory.  This  custom  goes  back  to 
the  first  centuries,  and  can  be  only  of  apostolic  tradition,  as  the  Council 
of  Trent  believes.  In  these  Masses,  which  we  call  Requiem  Masses  and 
which  are  said  with  black  vestments,  everything  reminds  us  of  death, 
judgment,  and  eternity.  The  Church  does  this,  in  order  that  its  pray- 
ers and  ceremonies  should  attain  their  purpose  more  directly,  and  also 
to  remind  us  all  of  our  last  end.  However,  there  are  days  when  the 
priest  is  not  permitted  to  say  Mass  in  black ;  but  in  whatever  color 
it  is  said,  its  fruit  may  be  equally  applied  to  the  souls  in  Purgatory. 

I  most  heartily  recommend  to  you,  my  brethren,  often  to  have  the 
holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  offered  up,  either  for  the  living  or  for  the 
dead,  because  you  cannot  do  a  work  more  agreeable  to  God  and  more 
beneficial  to  your  soul,  or  to  the  souls  for  which  the  sacrifice  is 
offered.  But  be  careful  not  to  say  that  you  have  paid  for  a  Mass,  that 
the  Mass  has  cost  you  so  much.  Only  ignorant  or  impious  people  use 
such  language.  The  Mass,  being  the  immolation  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  worth  infinitely  more  than  all  the  money 
in  the  entire  world.  When  one  gives  money  to  a  priest,  it  is  a  simple 
offering  one  makes  to  him  for  his  support.  It  is  a  work  of  charity  and 
a  privation  which  you  impose  upon  yourselves,  and  which  makes  the 
sacrifice  all  the  more  profitable  to  those  to  whom  its  benefits  are 
applied. 

II.  With  what  dispositions  should  we  assist  at  Mass.^*  They  are 
four  in  number :  faith,  respect,  contrition,  and  confidence  in  Jesus 
Christ  who  immolates  Himself  for  us. 

I  St.  Faith. —  Only  faith  can  reveal  to  you  all  that  is  sublime  and 
ineffable  in  this  divine  mystery.  With  the  eyes  of  faith,  you  will  see 
a  God  immolated,  annihilated  upon  our  altars,  as  upon  Calvary;  and 
without  faith,  you  will  see  nothing.  With  faith  you  feel  yourselves 
burning  with  love,  like  the  Seraphim  ;  and  without  faith,  you  will 
remain  cold  and  indifferent  like  the  statues  which  decorate  the  altars. 


ON  THE   SACRIFICE   OF  THE   MASS  ^^j 

Therefore,  often  make  acts  of  faith  during  Mass,  and  cry  out  from  the 
bottom  of  your  heart  :  **  I  believe,  O  my  God,  that  this  is  Thy  body, 
Thy  blood,  Thy  soul,  and  Thy  divinity,  that  immolates  and  annihilates 
itself  out  of  love  for  me ;  yes,  I  believe  it  as  if  I  saw  it  with  my  own 
eyes.'^ 

2d.  Respect. —  Your  exterior  behavior  should  be  respectful.  Dur- 
ing Mass,  you  should  be  kneeling,  except  during  the  parts  when  it  is 
permitted  to  stand  or  to  sit  down,  and  your  behavior  should  be  humble, 
modest,  and  recollected.  It  is  really  a  sad  thing  to  see  so  many  Chris- 
tians assisting  at  Mass  in  such  a  careless  and  negligent  manner.  They 
can  hardly  be  said  to  be  kneeling,  for  if  they  are  not  sitting  most  of 
the  time,  their  posture  is  such  that  they  are  more  sitting  than  kneeling. 
But  what  is  still  more  sad,  is  that  dissipation,  that  levity,  that  irrever- 
ence, to  which  many  give  way  so  easily.  Look,  for  example,  at  that 
young  man,  at  that  worldly  woman  ;  not  only  do  they  not  pray,  but 
they  hinder  others  from  praying ;  they  talk,  they  laugh,  and  look 
about.  May  we  not  rightly  fear  that  their  eyes  and  hearts  are  feasting 
on  pictures  or  thoughts  that  are  far  from  being  decent,  and  that  before 
the  very  altar  of  God  they  foster  criminal  relations?  What!  in  this 
holy  place,  and  while  a  God  immolates  and  annihilates  Himself  for  us, 
they  dare  to  amuse  themselves  and  to  deliver  themselves  to  dissipa- 
tion and  sin!  But,  Christians,  have  you  forgotten  that  during  the 
sacred  mysteries,  there  are  thousands  of  angels  prostrate  before  the 
altar.?  And  are  you  not  afraid  to  imitate  the  criminal  mockery  of 
the  Jews  who,  bending  their  knees  before  the  Saviour  up^n  the 
cross,  saluted  Him  saying:  Hail  to  Thee,  O  King  of  the  jfews  (Matt. 
XXVII.  29). 

I  conjure  you,  my  brethren,  when  you  assist  at  Mass,  think  on  the 
holiness  of  the  place  in  which  you  are,  and  on  the  ineffable  mysteries 
that  are  going  on.  Show  respect  in  your-  whole  exterior,  and  try 
to  feel  this  respect  in  your  heart,  for  without  this  interior  respect  the 
outward  would  be  only  a  sham  and  a  mockery. 

If,  with  the  faith  that  you  have,  you  could  have  assisted  at  the 
bloody  sacrifice  of  Calvary,  with  what  profound  awe  would  you  not 
have  been  seized,  with  what  veneration  would  you  not  have  collected 
the  adorable  blood  that  was  streaming  from  the  cross  ?  Let  your  senti- 
ments be  the  same  in  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  because  it  is  the  same 
sacrifice  with  the  same  priest  and  the  same  victim,  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord. 
28 


434 


FOURTH   PART.      XL   INSTRUCTION 


3d.  Contrition  for  Our  Sins. —  Is  there  anything  better  calculated 
to  inspire  us  with  sorrow  for  our  faults  than  the  remembrance  of  Cal- 
vary, of  which  the  altar  is  such  a  living  representation?  During  Holy 
Mass  consider  how  much  it  has  cost  Jesus  Christ  to  expiate  your  sins, 
and  excite  yourselves  to  sorrow  for  having  committed  them,  remember- 
ing that  you  renew  the  torments  of  His  passion  every  time  you  offend 
Him  grievously.  It  is  not  sufficient  that  the  Saviour  immolates  Him- 
self for  us,  but  we  must  also  mingle  our  tears  with  the  blood  which  He 
has  shed  upon  the  cross,  if  we  desire  that  the  fruit  of  His  sufferings 
should  be  applied  to  us,  and  we  must  sovereignly  detest  all  our  sins 
which  have  been  the  cause  thereof.  The  Gospel  tells  us  that  at  the 
death  of  the  Saviour  the  rocks  were  split,  the  veil  of  the  temple  was 
rent  asunder,  and  that  those  who  were  w^itnesses  of  these  prodigies 
went  home  striking  their  breasts.  Let  us  have  the  same  dispositions 
when  we  assist  at  the  holy  sacrifice.  To  hear  Mass  with  a  perverted 
heart,  with  an  intention  of  persevering  in  sin,  would  be  crucifying 
the  Saviour  anew. 

4th.  Confidence  in  Jesus  Christ  Who  Offers  Himself  for  Us, — 
The  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  impetratory;  that  is,  it  is  offered  to  God 
to  obtain  from  His  goodness  the  graces  of  which  we  stand  in  need. 
With  what  confidence  should  we  not  come  to  the  altar  of  the  Lord 
and  beg  of  Him  all  that  is  necessary  for  us  both  for  body  and  soul !  If 
God  is  always  ready  to  listen  to  our  prayers,  provided  that  they  are 
offered  with  a  well-disposed  heart,  with  how  much  more  reason  will 
He  listen  to  us  at  such  a  favorable  moment,  when  the  Son  of  God 
Himself  serves  as  our  mediator? 

Have  we  always  assisted  at  Mass  with  sentiments  of  faith,  respect, 
contrition,'  confidence,  and  union  with  Jesus  Christ  who  immolates 
Himself  for  us?  Three  kinds  of  persons  assisted  at  the  sacrifice  on 
Calvary  :  some  to  crucify  Jesus  Christ  or  to  insult  Him  ;  others  from 
mere  curiosity,  and  to  see  how  this  tragic  scene  would  end ;  and  some, 
like  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the  w^ell-beloved  disciple,  and  the  holy  women, 
to  sympathize  with  Jesus  in  His  sufferings.  Which  of  these  three 
kinds  have  you  imitated  until  now?  Have  you  followed  the  example 
of  those  pious  souls  who  wept  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  ?  Or  were  you 
of  the  crowd,  or,  worse  than  all,  were  you  among  the  soldiers  and  ex- 
ecutioners who  nailed  Him  to  the  cross?  Ask  pardon  of  God  for  your 
indifference  and  promise  to  behave  yourselves  in  future  before  Him, 
like  the  faithful  disciples  at  the  foot  of  the  cross. 


ON   THE   SACRIFICE   OF   THE   MASS  4^5 

III.  The  following  is  an  excellent  method  of  hearing  Mass  and  all 
the  more  useful  as  it  is  within  the  reach  of  every  one,  even  of  those 
who  cannot  read.  It  consists  in  contemplating  Jesus  Christ  offering 
Himself  upon  the  altar,  as  if  one  were  present  on  Calvary,  and  in 
penetrating  oneself  with  sorrow  and  love,  while  meditating  in  turn 
upon  the  different  sufferings  of  His  passion.  In  order  to  render  easy 
this  practice,  I  shall  mention  the  chief  ceremonies  of  the  Mass,  and 
show  you  how  they  remind  us  of  the  different  circumstances  of  the 
passion  and  death  of  our  Lord. 

In  the  first  place,  imagine  you  see  Jesus  Christ  in  the  person  of  the 
priest  clothed  with  his  sacerdotal  garments,  and  look  on  the  altar  as  a 
new  Calvary. 

The  alb  is  the  long,  white  robe  which  the  priest  wears,  and  re- 
minds you  of  the  white  robe  with  which  Herod  clothed  Jesus  in 
mockery,  and  of  the  humiliations  which  the  Saviour  suffered  in  the 
court  of  this  prince.  Here  each  one  can  say  to  himself :  If  He  who 
was  wisdom  itself  wished  to  be  treated  like  a  fool,  is  it  not  a  shame 
that  I  always  seek  to  distinguish  myself  among  others  by  my  vanity 
and  my  dress? 

The  cincture  with  which  the  priest  is  girded,  the  stole  which  he 
wears  around  his  neck,  and  the  maniple  which  is  suspended  from  the 
arm,  represent  the  chains  and  the  cords  with  which  the  Saviour  was 
bound.  What  a  spectacle !  A  God  treated  like  a  criminal !  Should 
I  not  be  resigned  in  the  midst  of  the  trials,  contradictions,  and  suffer- 
ings of  life?  On  the  chasuble,  you  notice  a  large  cross;  it  reminds 
you  of  the  heavy  cross  which  the  Saviour  was  obliged  to  carry  on  His 
shoulders  to  Calvary.  What  an  encouraging  example  to  carry  ours 
with  patience  and  resignation  ! 

The  chalice  which  the  priest  holds  in  his  hand  when  going  to  the 
altar  represents  the  chalice  of  the  passion  which  God  the  Father  pre- 
sents to  Jesus  and  which  He  accepted  so  generously.  Is  it  thus  that 
we  accept  the  chalice  of  bitterness  and  affliction  that  is  offered  to  us? 

The  priest  who  goes  to  the  altar,  with  those  who  serve  the  Mass, 
represents  Jesus  Christ  going  into  the  Garden  of  Olives  with  His  dis- 
ciples. When  he  ascends  the  steps  of  the  altar  alone,  leaving  the  serv- 
ers at  the  lower  step,  he  represents  our  Saviour  going  alone  to  pray. 
When  he  recites  the  Introibo  and  when  he  inclines  himself  profoundly 
during  the  Conjiteor ^  he  represents  Jesus  Christ  prostrate  in  prayer, 
and  falling  into  a  mortal  agony.     When  he  reascends  the  altar  and 


436  FOURTH   PART.      XI.    INSTRUCTION 

kisses  it,  he  represents  Jesus  Christ  betrayed  by  the  infamous  Judas 
and  delivered  to  His  enemies.  When  from  the  middle  of  the  altar  he 
goes  to  the  Epistle  side,  and  from  the  Epistle  side  returns  to  the  mid- 
dle to  go  to  the  Gospel  side,  and,  again,  from  the  Gospel  side  returns 
to  the  middle,  he  represents  Jesus  led  first  to  Annas  and  Caiphas,  who 
judged  Him  guilty  of  death ;  then  brought  before  Pilate,  who  declares 
Him  innocent ;  and  from  the  tribunal  of  Pilate  to  Herod,  who  clothes 
Him  as  a  mock  king,  and,  finally,  from  the  palace  of  Herod  back  to 
Pilate  who  condemned  Him  to  death.  During  all  these  ceremonies, 
meditate  upon  all  that  the  Saviour  suffered  in  these  various  tribunals 
of  Jerusalem. 

After  the  Gospel  and  the  Credo,  the  priest  removes  the  veil  that 
covers  the  chalice  ;  this  represents  Jesus  Christ  stripped  of  His  gar- 
ments before  the  scourging  and  the  crowning  with  thorns.  Then  the 
priest  offers  the  host  and  the  chalice  ;  this  represents  Jesus  offering 
His  torments  to  His  heavenly  Father  for  the  expiation  of  our  sins. 
The  priest  washes  his  hands;  Pilate  did  the  same  when  protesting  that 
our  Saviour  was  innocent,  which,  however,  did  not  hinder  him  from 
condemning  Him  to  death. 

Having  returned  to  the  middle  of  the  altar,  the  priest  inclines  him- 
self profoundly  and  recites  in  a  low  voice  various  prayers ;  this  repre- 
sents Jesus  Christ  going  up  the  mount  of  Calvary,  bent  down  under  the 
heavy  weight  of  the  cross.  The  priest  turns  around  to  the  people  and 
says :  Orate  Fratres,  Pray  Brethren ;  this  represents  Jesus  Christ 
turning  towards  the  holy  women,  who  followed  Him  weeping,  and 
telling  them  not  to  weep  for  Him,  but  rather  for  themselves;  for  He 
adds  :  If  in  the  green  wood  they  do  these  things,  what  shall  be  done  in 
the  dry  (Luke  xxiii.  31).  If  the  divine  justice  is  so  inexorable  in  re- 
gard to  the  just,  how  much  more  rigorous  will  it  be  against  the  sinner! 

Immediately  after  the  consecration,  the  priest  raises  the  host  and 
the  chalice  in  succession  ;  this  represents  the  elevation  of  Jesus  Christ 
upon  the  cross  for  the  salvation  of  men.  The  priest  continues  to  pray; 
Jesus  upon  the  cross  prays  for  His  executioners.  The  priest  divides 
the  host ;  our  Saviour  gives  up  the  ghost ;  His  soul  is  separated  from 
His  body.  After  the  division  on  the  host,  the  priest  lets  a  particle 
fall  into  the  chalice ;  this  represents  the  soul-  of  Christ  descending  into 
Limbo. 

In  saying  the  Agnus  Dei,  the  priest  strikes  his  breast,  and  thus 
reminds  us  that  at  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  many  of  those  who  were 


ON   THE   SACRIFICE  OF   THE   MASS  4,7 

present  struck  their  breasts  and  confessed  that  Christ  was  really  the 
Son  of  God  :  Indeed^  this  was  the  Son  of  God  (Matt,  xxvii.  54). 

The  priest  in  communicating,  so  to  say,  buries  in  his  heart  the 
body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ ;  so,  also,  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  Nico- 
demus,  and  other  holy  persons,  buried  Jesus  Christ  after  His  death. 

When  the  sacrifice  is  finished,  the  priest  turns  again  towards  the 
people  and  says  to  them  :  Dominus  vobiscum,  ^*  may  the  Lord  be  with 
you* — it  is  Jesus  Christ  risen,  giving  the  peace  to  His  apostles  and  to 
His  disciples  in  the  Cenacle  where  they  were  assembled.  Then  the 
priest  blesses  the  people,  and  leaves  the  altar ;  so,  also,  Jesus  blessed 
His  apostles  before  leaving  them  to  go  into  heaven. 

Such  are  the  principal  ceremonies  of  the  Mass.  You  see  how 
many  mysteries  they  contain  and  with  what  excellent  reflections  they 
may  inspire  us.  During  the  Holy  Mass,  follow  the  different  circum- 
stances of  the  passion.  Meditate  upon  the  sufferings  which  Jesus 
wished  to  undergo  out  of  love  for  us,  upon  the  torments  to  which  He 
condemned  Himself  to  expiate  our  crimes,  and  you  will  be  sure  to 
assist  with  fruit  at  this  adorable  sacrifice. 

If  your  mind  is  not  capable  of  making  a  long  meditation,  recite 
some  vocal  prayers,  or  read  the  ordinary  prayers  of  Mass  in  your 
prayerbooks,  following  the  priest  at  the  altar  step  by  step. 

IV.  In  ending  this  instruction,  I  would  earnestly  recommend  you, 
in  the  interest  of  your  souls,  to  assist  at  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass 
as  often  as  possible.  How  can  you  permit  the  working  of  so  many 
wonders,  so  near  you,  without  witnessing  them?  How  can  you  allow 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  to  flow  every  day  upon  our  altars  without 
coming  to  apply  it  to  your  souls?  I  know  that  many  cannot  hear 
Mass  often  ;  but  if  you  can  conveniently  do  so,  why  do  you  not  do  it? 
Let  me  remind  you  of  the  popular  proverb  full  of  meaning  and  truth  : 
*  Mass  does  not  delay  us,  nor  do  alms  make  us  poor."  Ah !  my  breth- 
ren, be  sure  that  the  time  which  you  spent  to  hear  Mass  will  be  for 
you  the  time  of  the  day  best  employed;  and  your  day's  work  will  be  a 
good  one  when  you  commence  it  by  hearing  Mass  with  devotion.  It  is 
said  of  a  pious  and  celebrated  preacher,  Pere  Lejeune,  that  when  he 
was  no  longer  able  to  say  Mass,  on  account  of  his  blindness,  he,  never- 
theless, wished  to  be  led  every  day  to  the  chapel  to  hear  Mass.  And 
when  one  day  no  one  came  for  him,  because  he  was  confined  to  his  bed, 
he  dragged  himself  alone  into  the  chapel,  and  to  those  who  remonstrated 
with  him  for  his  imprudence,  he  answered  that  the  greatest  comfort  for 


438 


FOURTH  PART.     XII.  INSTRUCTION 


him  was  to  assist  at  Mass.  All  the  saints  had  the  most  tender  devotion 
for  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  Imitate  their  examples,  according 
as  your  situation  in  life  will  permit.  Assist  often  at  this  holy  sacrifice 
with  the  most  profound  devotion,  the  most  lively  faith,  the  greatest 
attention,  the  most  firm  confidence,  and  be  sure  that  the  Lord  will 
shower  upon  you  the  most  abundant  graces.     Amen. 


XII.  INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance 

Penance  may  be  considered  as  a  virtue  and  as  a  sacrament . 

Considered  as  a  virtue,  penance  disposes  the  sinner  to  detest  the  sins 
which  he  has  committed  and  to  satisfy  the  divine  justice  by  expiatory 
works.  In  this  sense  it  hardly  differs  from  contrition  and  satisfaction. 
At  all  times  the  virtue  of  penance  has  been  an  indispensable  necessity 
for  the  remission  of  sins.  The  sinners  who  lived  before  the  coming  of 
Christ  could  not  obtain  pardon  of  their  sins  without  it. 

Let  us  consider  penance  only  as  a  sacra?nent.  It  is  an  article  of 
faith  that  Jesus  Christ  raised  penance  to  the  dignity  of  a  sacrament 
when  He  said  to  His  apostles  :  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whose 
sins  you  shall  forgive^  they  are  forgiven ;  and  whose  sins  you  shall  re- 
tain, they  are  retained  (John  xx.  23).  He  desired  to  render  the  virtue 
of  penance  more  meritorious  by  making  it  a  sacrament,  and  to  furnish 
to  the  sinner  an  easier  means  of  reconciling  himself  with  God. 

I.  Penance  is  a  sacrament  which  remits  the  sins  committed  after 
baptism.  The  visible  sign  consists  in  the  acts  of  the  penitent,  confes- 
sion, contrition,  and  satisfaction,  and  in  the  absolution  of  the  priest. 
This  visible  sign  was  instituted  by  jfesus  Christ,  and  it  was  instituted 
to  sanctify  us,  because  it  has  the  power  of  remitting  sins. 

It  is  true  that  God  alone  can  remit  sins;  for  it  is  evident  that  only 
the  offended  person  can  grant  pardon.  Who  can  forgive  sins  but  God 
only?  (Mark  11.  7.)  But  our  Saviour  before  ascending  into  heaven 
wished  to  intrust  this  power  to  those  He  had  appointed  as  His  repre- 
sentatives upon  earth,  who  were  to  be  the  depositaries  and  the  distrib- 
utors of  His  graces.       He  confirmed  this  great  power  given  to  His 


ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  PENANCE  ^^p 

apostles  after  His  resurrection,  when  He  spoke  the  solemn  words  :  Re- 
ceive ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  .  .  .  Jesus  had  promised  this  power  to 
them  before  His  resurrection,  when  He  said  to  His  apostles,  and  to  St. 
Peter  in  particular  :  Whatsoever  you  shall  bind  upon  earthy  shall  be 
hound  also  in  heaven;  and  whatsoever  you  shall  loose  upon  earthy  shall 
be  loosed  also  in  heaven  (Matt.  xvi.  19;  xviii.  18). 

By  virtue  of  these  words,  priests  have  the  power  to  remit  or  to  re- 
tain sins;  and  priests  alone,  because  they  alone  were  represented  in 
the  person  of  the  apostles,  and  because  they  alone  have  exercised  this 
sacred  ministry  from  the  beginning  of  the  Church  down  to  our  time. 
But  the  priests  must  receive  jurisdiction  from  the  bishop ;  without 
this,  except  in  case  of  necessity,  all  their  absolutions  would  be  null 
and  void, 

II.  Great  and  astonishing  is  this  power  given  to  priests !  A 
priest  sits  in  the  sacred  tribunal  of  penance ;  a  great  sinner  comes  to 
confession  with  good  dispositions;  the  priest  raises  his  hand  to  absolve 
him,  and  he  is  pardoned  by  God  in  the  same  instant.  Hell  is  closed 
for  him  and  heaven  is  opened.  Is  there  a  power  on  earth,  after  that 
of  consecrating  the  body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  comparable  to 
this  power  which  the  priest  exercises  in  the  sacred  tribunal  of  penance? 
The  judges  of  the  earth  can  absolve  only  those  whom  they  believe  to 
be  innocent ;  kings  and  princes  may  grant  amnesty  and  pardon  the 
guilty,  but  only  in  what  concerns  the  interests  of  the  present  life ; 
whilst  the  priest  influences  the  entire  eternity  of  a  sinner.  If  you 
were  to  see  a  priest  go  up  to  a  grave  and,  with  one  word,  call  a  corpse 
to  life  again,  you  would  be  astonished  at  the  wonderful  miracle.  But 
is  not  the  miracle  of  the  confessional  still  greater,  since  the  priest  re- 
stores life  and  the  hope  of  blessed  immortality  to  a  soul  dead  to  grace  ? 

III,  What  are  the  effects  of  the  sacrament  of  penance,^  Not  only 
dops  it  remit  sins,  but  it  remits  them  all  without  exception,  and  it  re- 
mits them  without  delay,  in  every  circumstance  and  forever. 

It  remits  them  without  exception ;  however  numerous  and  however 
enormous  they  may  be  ;  for  God  does  not  pardon  by  halves.  He  par- 
dons all  or  nothing.  Whatsoever  you  shall  bind  upon  earth  shall  be 
bound  in  heaven. 

It  remits  them  without  delay.  The  trials  which  the  confessor  may 
require  are  only  to  assure  himself  of  the  good  dispositions  of  the  peni- 
tent. But  as  soon  as  the  sacramental  words  are  pronounced,  all  is 
over.     The  devil  is  driven  from  his  soul,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  reenters 


440 


FOURTH   PART.      XII.   INSTRUCTION 


it.  The  absolution  is  like  a  purifying  fire  which  leaves  no  stain 
behind. 

In  every  circumstance^  that  is,  not  only  sometimes,  but  every  time, 
the  sinner  has  recourse  to  this  means  of  salvation.  God's  goodness 
is  infinite  and  His  mercy  is  inexhaustible.  It  is  a  new  pool  of  Siloe 
into  which  one  can  plunge  himself  at  will.  What  a  difference  be- 
tween God  and  the  princes  of  the  earth !  Even  the  mildest  and  most 
merciful  of  kings  may  sometimes  pardon  a  first  offense,  but  rarely  a 
second  or  a  third.  But  God  puts  no  other  limits  to  His  mercy  and 
His  pardon  except  those  which  the  sinner  puts  to  his  confidence  and 
to  his  repentance. 

Y\x\2^\.y ,  forever .  The  sins  remitted  by  the  sacrament  of  penance 
never  revive.  The  gifts  of  God  are  without  repentance^  says  the 
Apostle  (Rom.  xi.  29)  ;  and  God's  pardon  once  granted  is  never  re- 
voked. When  the  sinner  falls  into  new  sins,  undoubtedly  he  becomes 
more  guilty,  on  account  of  his  ingratitude  and  of  the  abuse  he  makes 
of  grace  ;  but  the  sins  pardoned  will  never  again  be  imputed  to  him, 
for  once  effaced  they  appear  no  more. 

Not  only  does  this  sacrament  remit  all  sins  without  exception, 
without  delay,  in  every  circumstance  and  forever ;  it  repairs,  also,  all 
the  evil  which  sin  had  caused  in  our  soul  and  restores  to  us  all  the 
goods  of  which  sin  had  deprived  us.  Through  sin  we  had  become  the 
enemies  of  God  and  the  slaves  of  Satan;  by  absolution  the  friendship 
of  God  is  restored  to  us,  and  the  devil  is  driven  from  our  souls.  By 
sin  we  had  merited  hell  and  lost  heaven  ;  by  absolution  the  eternal 
punishment  is  remitted  to  us,  and  the  gates  of  heaven  are  reopened  to 
us.  Through  sin  our  soul  had  lost  its  primitive  beauty,  and  had 
become  so  soiled  and  degraded  that  it  was  only  an  object  of  horror; 
but  by  absolution  it  is  purified,  cleansed  from  all  its  stains;  it  recovers 
its  garment  of  innocence  and  becomes  again  an  object  of  pleasure  in 
the  sight  of  God. 

Through  sin  we  lost  all  the  merits  we  had  acquired,  so  that  if  we 
should  have  had  the  misfortune  to  die  in  that  state,  even  after  having 
passed  the  greater  part  of  our  life  in  the  practice  of  good  works,  these 
merits  would  have  amounted  to  nothing.  Moreover,  as  long  as  we 
should  have  remained  in  sin,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  us  to 
acquire  new  merits ;  we  would  be  like  branches  cut  off  from  the  stem 
and  which  be^r  fruit  no  longer.  By  absolution  we  recover  all  our  lost 
merits ;  and  henceforth  all  our  good  works,  all  our  mortifications,  all 


ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  PENANCE  ^^l 

our  practices  of  piety  will  be  so  many  precious  stones  that  shall  enrich 
the  crown  which  God  prepares  for  us  in  eternity. 

Add  to  these  advantages  the  consolations  which  the  state  of  grace 
procures  to  a  soul ;  that  unspeakable  calm  and  peace  which  it  gives 
us,  instead  of  those  bitter  remorses  and  continual  troubles  which  we 
find  in  crime;  that  strength  and  virtue  which  it  gives  us  to  resist  the 
temptations  of  the  devil,  and  to  surmount  the  many  obstacles  we  meet 
with  every  day  in  the  way  of  salvation,  and  then  you  shall  have 
an  idea  of  the  efficacy  of  the  sacrament  of  penance,  and  of  all  the  good 
which  it  procures  to  our  souls.  After  the  Holy  Eucharist,  is  not  the 
sacrament  of  penance  the  masterpiece  of  God's  goodness  and  mercy? 

O  you  who  are  terrified  at  the  multitude  of  your  crimes,  have  con- 
fidence! However  deep  the  abyss  into  which  you  have  fallen,  it 
depends  only  upon  yourselves  to  be  drawn  out.  As  great  as  is  the 
evil,  so  great  is  also  the  remedy.  Have  recourse  to  the  sacrament  of 
penance;  plunge  yourselves  into  this  healing  bath,  into  this  mystic 
Jordan,  and,  like  Naaman  the  leper,  you  will  be  purified  and  healed 
from  your  uncleanness. 

In  whatever  state  you  may  be  do  not  delay,  for  the  longer  you 
wait  the  more  difficult  the  healing  will  be.  Do  not  sav,  "  I  shall  do  it 
later  on,"  for  later  on,  perhaps,  you  will  not  have  time.  And  do  you  not 
know  that  it  is  the  same  with  the  diseases  of  the  soul  as  with  those  of 
the  body,  and  that  by  permitting  them  to  run  on,  they  end  by  becom- 
ing incurable.''  Undoubtedly,  there  are  no  crimes  which  cannot  be 
remitted  through  the  sacrament  of  penance ;  but  you  must  also  have 
sorrow  for  your  sins,  and  this  is  precisely  what  is  wanting  when  you 
grow  old  in  these  fatal  habits.  In  the  same  measure  that  you  abuse 
the  goodness  of  God,  grace  is  withdrawn,  you  fall  into  such  a  hardness 
of  heart  that  it  needs  miracles  to  make  you  leave  it.  How  many  souls 
fall  every  day  into  hell,  for  having  neglected  the  sacrament  of  pen- 
ance !  No  one  ever  says :  /  do  not  wish  to  convert  myself^  I  do  not 
wish  to  go  to  confession.  .  .  .  But  the  sinner  puts  off  his  conver- 
sion from  one  time  to  another,  from  one  year  to  another,  from  one 
mission  to  another.  And  while  he  delays  life  passes,  death  comes  on 
without  warning,  and  thus  the  sinner  dies  in  his  sins. 

IV.  In  considering  only  the  immense  advantages  attached  to  the 
sacrament  of  penance,  every  one  should  be  led  to  have  recourse  to  it 
every  time  that  the  state  of  his  soul  requires  it.  But  there  is  a  still 
stronger  reason  which  obliges  us  to  have  recourse  to  the  sacrament  of 


442 


FOURTH   PART.     XII.   INSTRUCTION 


penance,  at  least  if  we  have  had  the  misfortune  to  commit  a  mortal 
sin.  The  Council  of  Trent  formally  declared  (Sess.  iv.,  c.  25)  that 
by  divine  laiv  this  sacrament  is  necessary  for  all  those  who  have  lost 
their  baptismal  innocence^  as  baptism  is  for  those  who  are  not  regen- 
erated. So  that  all  our  prayers,  all  our  mortifications,  all  our  alms- 
giving, would  amount  to  nothing,  if,  being  a  sinner  —  and  who  is  not? 
—  one  did  not  have  recourse  to  the  sacrament  of  penance.  There  is, 
it  is  true,  perfect  contrition  which  justifies  by  itself;  but  this  perfect 
contrition  can  be  had  only  in  so  far  as  one  has  the  intention  to  fulfill 
all  the  precepts,  and  especially  that  which  obliges  to  confession  or  to 
the  sacrament  of  penance.  It  is  not,  therefore,  because  this  sacrament 
grants  us  the  pardon  of  our  sins  that  we  should  have  recourse  to 
it,  but  also  because  God  and  the  Church  command  us  to  do  so,  and 
because  it  is  the  design  of  the  divine  wisdom  that  our  iniquities  should 
be  pardoned  only  by  this  means.  Penance  is  the  second  plank  after 
shipwreck,  and  the  only  one  after  baptism,  if  one  has  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  sin  grievously. 

V.  Five  things  are  necessary  for  the  sacrament  of  penance  :  exam- 
ination of  conscience,  contrition,  firm  purpose  of  amendment,  confes- 
sion, and  satisfaction. 

But  among  these  five  things  there  are  especially  three  which  are 
indispensable :  contrition,  confession  accompanied  with  absolution, 
and  satisfaction.  These  we  call  the  three  essential  parts  of  the  sacra- 
ment. They  constitute  the  matter  and  form  of  the  sacrament.  The 
acts  of  the  penitent,  namely,  contrition,  confession,  and  satisfaction, 
constitute  the  matter.  The  words  of  absolution,  that  is,  the  sentence 
which  the  priest  pronounces  over  the  penitent,  saying  :  "  I  absolve 
thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,**  constitute  the  form. 

A  certain  number  of  instructions  will  be  necessary  to  develop  well 
all  these  important  points.  Let  us  close  by  rendering  our  most  sin- 
cere thanks  to  God  for  having  been  pleased  to  give  us  a  sacrament 
which  procures  for  us  so  many  advantages.  Let  us  lament  our  neg- 
lect in  having  profited  so  little  by  a  means  of  salvation  so  efficacious 
and  at  the  same  time  so  easy,  and  let  us  resolve  in  future  to  make  a 
better  and  more  frequent  use  of  the  sacrament  of  penance.     Amen. 


ON  THE  EXAMINATION  OF  CONSCIENCE  ^^^ 


XIII.  INSTRUCTION 

On  the    Examination  of   Conscience 

The  first  thing  necessary,  in  preparing  to  receive  the  sacrament 
of  penance,  is  the  examination  of  conscience. 

I.  Examination  of  conscience  is  a  diligent  inquiry  into  one's  sins. 
To  make  the  examination  well,  you  must,  therefore,  seriously  reflect 
on  the  state  of  your  soul,  and  search  with  care  for  the  sins  you  have 
committed.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  glance  rapidly  over  your  past  life, 
but  you  must  search  the  inmost  recesses  of  your  heart  to  see  what  are 
your  habits,  faults,  inclinations,  and  you  must  try  to  discover  all  the 
sins  of  action,  word,  desire,  thought,  omission,  which  you  have  com- 
mitted against  the  commandments  of  God  and  of  the  Church,  against 
the  seven  capital  sins,  and  against  the  duties  of  your  state  of  life. 

II.  The  examination  of  conscience  is  necessary,  at  least,  for  the 
grievous  faults.  The  sacrament  of  penance  is  like  a  criminal  process 
in  which  the  penitent  performs  the  part  of  accuser  and  witness,  and 
where  the  confessor,  in  passing  judgment,  has  no  other  evidence  but 
the  very  declaration  of  the  penitent  himself.  But  how  could  the  con- 
fessor be  able  to  pass  a  judgment,  if  the  penitent  did  not  reveal  all  his 
faults?  And  how  could  the  penitent  make  known  all  his  sins  with- 
out examining  his  conscience.''  Also,  the  Council  of  Trent  teaches  us 
that  no  one  should  come  to  confession  until  he  has  searched  the  in- 
most recesses  of  his  heart,  and  has  morally  assured  himself  that  he 
remembers,  at  least  as  far  as  he  is  able,  all  the  grievous  sins  which 
he  has  committed  since  his  last  confession. 

Some  one  may  say:  "  But  I  have  not  a  good  memory,  and  I  do  not 
know  how  to  examine  myself ;  I  expect  that  my  confessor,  who  is  a 
learned  and  kind  man,  will  question  me,  and  I  shall  then  remember 
my  sins.'*  Undoubtedly,  if  it  is  necessary,  your  confessor  will  ques- 
tion you,  and  this  interrogation  may  be  very  useful.  But  do  not 
imagine  that  this  is  sufficient.  This  confessor,  who  ordinarily  does 
not  know  your  habits,  or  your  faults,  or  your  affairs,  or  your  relations 
with  others,  or  the  places  which  you  frequent,  or  your  antipathies,  or 
your  injustices,  can  question  you  only  in  a  vague  and  general  man- 
ner, if  time  and  fatigue  permit  him  even  to  do  that  much,  and  he 
might  not  question  you  on  a  number  of  things  in  which  you  are 
guilty.     And  even  then,  if  your  confessor  is  fortunate  enough  to  make 


444 


FOURTH   PART.      XIII.    INSTRUCTION 


all  the  interrogations  which  the  state  of  your  conscience  requires,  do 
you  believe  that,  without  a  previous  examination,  you  can  answer  him 
promptly  and  correctly?  This  is  especially  necessary  for  those  who 
have  not  gone  to  confession  for  many  years,  and  who  have  heaped  crime 
upon  crime.  If  you  are  called  as  witness  before  a  court  of  justice,  you 
are  closely  questioned  by  the  opposing  parties.  But  in  spite  of  all 
the  questions,  it  is  often  necessary  to  try  beforehand  to  recall  to  your 
mind  all  that  you  have  seen  and  heard  about  the  case  in  question, 
before  appearing  in  court.  You  would  rightly  be  afraid  of  giving 
false  or  contradictory  testimony  if  you  did  not  render  yourself  a  strict 
account  beforehand  of  all  that  you  know  of  the  case.  So,  also,  with 
the  examination  of  conscience  before  confession.  In  spite  of  all  the 
questions  that  the  priest  might  ask  you,  it  is  often  impossible  to  recall 
^immediately  all  your  sins,  with  their  number  and  circumstances.  If 
on  account  of  a  careless  examination  you  forget  anything  of  which 
you  ought  to  accuse  yourselves,  your  confession  is  not  entire,  and, 
therefore,  it  is  null  and  void. 

III.  The  examination  of  conscience  is,  therefore,  of  indispensable 
necessity.  The  time  to  be  employed  in  the  examination  of  conscience 
will  vary  according  to  the  condition  of  the  penitent,  according  to  the 
kind  of  life  he  has  led.  and  according  to  the  time  which  has  elapsed 
since  his  last  confession.  But,  in  all  cases,  one  must  employ  sufficient 
time,  and  use  the  same  care  which  we  are  accustomed  to  use  in  affairs 
of  great  importance. 

If  you  are  engaged  in  a  lawsuit,  what  time  and  what  care  do  you 
not  employ  in  studying  all  the  testimony  that  might  be  useful  to  you  ? 
You  retire  into  a  secluded  place,  and  leave  all  other  affairs  aside  ;  you 
employ  all  the  resources  of  your  mind  and  memory,  in  order  not  to 
neglect  anything  essential  or  useful  to  your  interests.  You  should  do 
the  same  in  the  examination  of  your  conscience,  since  it  is  the  salvation 
of  your  soul  that  is  at  stake. 

If  you  are  of  the  number  of  those  who  always  have  their  conscience 
in  order,  who  make  their  examination  every  evening,  or  at  least  every 
Sunday,  who  go  frequently  to  confession,  and  who  lead  a  well-regu- 
lated life,  then  I  admit  that  the  examination  may  be  short,  for  if  you 
had  the  misfortune  to  commit  some  mortal  sin,  it  will  be  always  upper- 
most in  your  mind,  and  you  need  not  make  any  effort  to  recall  it. 

But  if  you  are  one  who  does  not  scruple  to  offend  God,  and  who 
drinks  iniquity  like  water,  if  you  do  not  avoid  the  dangers  of  sin,  and 


ON   THE   EXAMINATION   OF   CONSCIENCE 


445 


if  you  expose  yourself  to  dangerous  occasions,  and  give  full  sway  to 
your  passions,  and  abandon  yourself  without  fear  and  without  remorse 
to  injustice,  calumny,  detraction,  hatred,  impurity,  and  t©  all  the  ok- 
cesses  of  debauchery,  and  let  years  go  by  without  going  to  confession, 
then,  certainly,  the  account  which  you  have  to  render  is  great  and 
complicated.  You  would  deceive  yourself  if  you  were  to  believe  that, 
without  a  long  and  serious  examination,  you  can  confess  all  the  sins 
which  you  have  committed,  contenting  yourself  with  naming  them  as 
they  present  themselves  to  your  mind,  and  without  troubling  yourself 
about  the  rest.  The  absolution  which  you  would  receive  in  these  con- 
ditions would  be  very  uncertain,  indeed. 

The  time  to  be  employed  in  the  examination  of  conscience  must, 
therefore,  be  proportionate  to  the  state  of  each  one's  conscience.  If 
the  conscience  is  in  order,  a  few  moments  may  be  sufficient.  But 
when  it  is  pressed  down  under  the  weight  of  sins  and  loaded  with 
criminal  habits,  it  might  require  hours  to  examine  one's  conscience. 

But  is  this  rule  observed?  Is  this  the  practice  of  those  penitents 
whom  one  hardly  sees  except  at  Easter  time,  of  those  young  men  given 
up  to  dissipation  and  debauchery?  In  spite  of  the  long  space  of  time 
which  has  elapsed  since  the  last  confession,  and  in  spite  of  all  the 
vices  and  disorders  in  which  they  have  lived,  they  think  of  this  ex- 
amination only  the  moment  they  go  to  church,  and  they  enter  the  con- 
fessional without  knowing  what  to  say.  What  hope  is  there  for  such 
confessions,  and  for  the  absolution  which  accompanies  them? 

IV.  In  order  to  make  your  examination  of  conscience  well,  with- 
draw yourself  from  the  noise  of  the  world  and,  after  having  collected 
your  thoughts,  and  having  set  aside  all  anxiety  about  your  labors  and 
affairs,  pray  God  to  enlighten  your  mind  in  order  to  clear  up  the  chaos 
of  your  iniquities,  in  saying  to  Him  with  the  royal  prophet :  O  jjiy 
God,  enlighten  my  darkness  (Ps.  xvri.  29),  or  with  the  blind  man  of 
Jericho:  Make,  Lord,  that  I  may  see  (Luke  xviii.  41),  or  with  St. 
Augustine  :  **  Lord,  let  me  know  Thee  and  let  me  know  myself  '* ;  then 
beg  the  grace  to  be  sorry  for  your  sins. 

The  contrition  necessary  for  the  sacrament  of  penance  is  a  grace 
which  can  come  only  from  heaven,  and  we  must,  therefore,  ask  it 
earnestly  of  God, 

This  first  duty  fulfilled,  proceed  with  your  examination.  Pass  in 
review  the  commandments  of  God  and  of  the  Church,  the  seven 
capital  sins,  and  the  duties  of  your  state  of  life. 


446 


FOURTH   PART.      XIV.    INSTRUCTION 


If  you  cannot  exactly  remember  the  number  of  your  sins,  try  at 
least  to  find  out  how  long  the  habit  has  lasted,  and  how  often  you 
sinned  every  week  or  day. 

The  whole  fruit  of  confession  often  depends  on  the  examination  of 
conscience.  Do  not  seek  vain  excuses  for  your  sins.  On  the  contrary, 
be  severe  towards  yourselves,  and  be  assured  God's  mercy  will  be  all 
the  greater  towards  you.  Do  not  be  afraid  to  pierce  the  wall  of  your 
soul,  according  to  the  expression  of  the  Holy  Ghost  Himself  (Ezech. 
VIII.  9),  and  to  remove  the  thick  veil  which  hides  from  your  eyes  so 
many  vices  and  so  many  iniquities ;  search  all  the  recesses  of  your 
heart ;  take  account  of  your  actions,  intentions  and  sentiments. 
You  will  thus  prepare  yourselves  to  make  good  confessions,  and  to 
merit  the  grace  of  reconciliation.     Amen. 


XIV.    INSTRUCTION 

On    Contrition 
Its  Necessity  and  Marks 

The  word  contrition  is  derived  from  a  Latin  word  which  signifies 
to  crush,  to  reduce  to  powder.  Holy  Scripture  employs  it  often  to 
signify  a  great  affliction  and  a  great  pain;  the  Church  has  consecrated 
this  word  to  express  the  sorrow  and  repentance  which  should  accom- 
pany the  sacrament  of  penance. 

*' Contrition,*^  says  the  Council  of  Trent,  **  is  a  pain  of  soul  and 
a  detestation  of  sin  committed,  accompanied  with  a  resolution  to  sin 
no  more.'^ 

According  to  this  definition,  two  things  are  necessary  for  a  real 
contrition  :  pain  and  the  detestation  of  the  sins  committed,  and  a  firm 
resolution  to  sin  no  more.  Therefore,  it  is  not  sufficient  for  a  peni- 
tent to  be  resolved  to  correct  himself  of  his  faults ;  he  must  also  detest 
them  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart.  Nor  would  it  be  sufficient  merely 
to  detest  his  sins  if  he  did  not  have  the  firm  resolution  to  correct  him- 
self. If  one  of  these  two  conditions  is  wanting,  contrition  is  insuffi- 
cient ;  and  confession  is  sacriligious  if  absolution  is  obtained. 


QN   CONTRITION 


447 


I.  Contrition,  the  first  of  the  three  parts  of  the  sacrament  of  pen- 
ance, is  absolutely  necessary  to  obtain  the  pardon  of  one's  sins.  With- 
out contrition,  the  grace  of  the  sacrament  of  penance  is  not  received. 
Our  divine  Saviour  teaches  us  this  formally  when  He  says:  Unless 
you  shall  do  penance  you  shall  all  likewise  ferish  (Luke  xiii.  3).  St. 
Peter,  answering  the  three  thousand  Jews  who  had  become  converted, 
and  who  asked  him  what  they  should  do,  told  them  that  they  must  do 
penance  and  receive  baptism  for  the  remission  of  their  sins :  Do  pen- 
ance and  be  baptized  .  .  .  for  the  remission  of  your  sins  {^KcX.%  w. 
38).  The  apostle  St.  Paul,  speaking  before  the  Areopagus  of  Athens, 
said  that  he  came  to  announce  to  them  in  the  name  of  God  that  if 
they  wished  to  be  saved  they  were  obliged  to  do  penance  :  God^  indeed, 
having  winked  at  the  time  of  this  ignorance^  now  declareth  unto  tnan 
that  all  should  everywhere  do  pena?tce  (Acts  xvii.  30). 

Under  the  Old  Law,  the  pardon  of  sins  was  granted  only  to  con- 
trite and  repentant  sinners.  Mary  Magdalen  bathed  with  ber  tears 
the  feet  of  the  Saviour,  and  she  is  pardoned.  St.  Peter  bewails  his 
apostasy  most  bitterly,  and  he  is  pardoned.  The  good  thief  upon  the 
cross  acknowledges  the  enormity  of  his  crimes,  and  he  is  pardoned ; 
whilst  the  bad  thief  and  the  infamous  Judas  die  as  reprobates,  because 
they  do  not  repent  of  their  crimes. 

The  formal  doctrine  of  the  Church,  announced  through  the  Council 
of  Trent,  declares  that  contrition  has  always  been  necessary  to  obtain 
the  pardon  of  sins. 

Our  unaided  reason  would  teach  us  this ;  for  it  is  evident  that  God, 
infinitely  merciful  as  He  is,  cannot  pardon  a  sinner  who  does  not 
repent  of  his  sins.  Could  a  father  pardon  a  child  who  continues  to 
show  himself  rebellious.?  Could  a  prince  pardon  a  subject  who  con- 
tinues to  conspire  against  him  ?  Contrition  is  the  first  condition  of 
pardon.  It  is  necessary  like  confession,  even  more  necessary;  for 
there  are  cases  where  one  might  obtain  the  pardon  of  his  faults  with- 
out confession,  as  when  this  would  be  impossible,  whilst  there  is  no 
case  where  sin  can  be  pardoned  without  contrition.  It  is  as  nec- 
essary for  the  remission  of  actual  sins  as  baptism  is  necessary  for  the 
remission  of  original  sin,  and  even  more  necessary,  because  baptism  can 
be  supplied  by  desire  or  by  martyrdom,  whilst  contrition  can  never  be 
dispensed  with.  Without  contrition,  therefore,  all  the  rest  would  be 
useless;  prayers,  alms,  mortifications,  confession,  absolution,  all  would 
be  in  vain.     What  an  illusion  for  a  sinner  who  should  expect  to  be 


448 


FOURTH    PART.      XIV.    INSTRUCTION 


reconciled  with  God,  merely  because  he  has  confessed  his  sins  and 
received  absolution  !  Commence^  says  the  Holy  Ghost,  hy  casting  far 
from  you  all  your  iniquities ^  and  by  forming  within  yourselves  a 
new  heart  (Ezech.  xxxiii.  14).  Rend  your  hearts  afid  not  your  gar- 
ments, says  the  prophet  Joel  (11.  13).  Contrition  is  the  indispensable 
condition  for  pardon. 

Contrition  must  have  four  qualities ;  it  must  be  interior,  sover- 
eign, universal,  and  supernatural. 

I  St.  Contrition  must  be  interior,  that  is,  it  must  come  from  the 
heart.  It  is  the  heart  that  sins ;  it  is  not  the  tongue  or  the  hands.  It 
is,  therefore,  the  heart  that  must  detest  the  sin.  It  is  not  sufficient  to 
make  acts  of  contrition  with  the  lips  alone,  or  to  strike  one's  breast, 
or  to  shed  tears ;  these  marks  of  sorrow  are  good,  indeed,  as  all  these 
exterior  acts  are  useful ;  but  if  they  are  not  inspired  by  the  heart,  they 
are  not  contrition;  they  cannot  obtain  at  all  our  justification.  It  might 
happen,  perhaps,  that  you  are  touched  by  a  sermon,  or  by  a  pathetic 
exhortation  ;  your  imagination  may  be  frightened  and  you  may  shed 
tears.  Do  you  believe  that  this  is  contrition  ?  No  ;  these  tears  may 
be  a  sign  of  contrition,  but  they  are  not  contrition.  Some  are  simple 
enough  to  believe  that  it  is  sufficient,  before  going  to  confession,  to 
read  formulas  of  acts  of  contrition  from  a  prayer  book,  or  to  recite  one 
from  memory,  or  to  make  the  Way  of  the  Cross,  etc.  All  these  prac- 
tices are  good,  but  they  are  not  contrition,  and  as  long  as  you  cannot 
say  that  your  heart  detests  sin,  as  you  detest  sickness,  plagues,  and 
calamities,  you  cannot  say  that  you  have  contrition. 

2d.  Contrition  must  be  sovereign;  that  is,  you  must  be  more  sorry 
for  having  offended  God  than  for  anything  else,  and  you  must  be  dis- 
posed to  lose  all  rather  than  to  offend  Him  anew.  For  there  is  no 
greater  evil  than  sin  ;  and  all  the  evils  of  this  world  taken  together 
are  nothing  in  comparison  with   sin. 

Must  you,  therefore,  shed  more  tears  over  each  of  your  sins  than 
you  would  shed  over  the  death  of  a  father  or  a  mother,  or  of  some 
great  misfortune?  Not  necessarily,  for  these  exterior  misfortunes 
affect  the  imagination  and  sensibility  more  directly ;  but  down  in 
your  heart  and  in  the  calmness  of  your  reason,  you  must  detest  sin 
more  than  all  temporal  evils,  and  you  ought  to  be  able  to  say  in  all 
sincerity  :  *^  My  God,  I  would  prefer  to  have  lost  everything  than  to 
have  lost  Thy  grace ;  and  henceforth  I  shall  prefer  Thy  love  and  serv- 
ice to  everything  else.'*     Such  has  always  been  the  contrition  of  true 


ON   CONTRITION  ^^g 

penitents.  Such  were  the  sentiments  of  St.  John  Chrysostom  when 
he  answered  the  messengers  of  the  Empress  Eudoxia,  who  threatened 
him  in  her  name  with  the  most  frightful  punishment :  ^*  Go  and  tell 
the  princess,*'  he  answered,  ^*  that  Chrysostom  fears  only  one  thing, 
and  that  is  sin.* 

3d.  Contrition  must  be  universa/,  that  is,  it  should  extend,  at 
least,  to  all  the  mortal  sins.  If  there  should  be  a  single  mortal  sin  for 
which  you  were  not  sorrj',  your  contrition  would  be  null  and  the  abso- 
lution sacrilegious.  The  sacrament  of  penance  remits  all  the  sins  at 
once,  or  it  remits  none  at  all.  Our  reason  tells  us  that  we  cannot  be 
the  friends  and  enemies  of  God  at  the  same  time,  worthy  of  heaven 
and  hell  at  the  same  time,  and  that  the  motive  which  leads  us  to 
detest  our  sins,  leads  us,  also,  to  detest  them  all.  Many  persons  are  in 
error  in  regard  to  this  point.  They  detest  certain  vices  and  sins  for 
which  they  feel  a  mere  natural  aversion.  But  as  to  detesting  their 
favorite  sin,  or  the  predominant  passion,  that  is  quite  a  different 
thing.  The  unchaste  man  may  detest  pride,  theft,  hatred,  and  re- 
venge, but  does  he  also  detest  impure  pleasures?  A  vain  and  proud 
woman  may  detest  intemperance  and  theft,  but  does  she  detest  her 
scandalous  vanities  and  her  unbridled  luxury?  It  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  detest  all  your  mortal  sins. 

Absolution  can  remit  the  mortal  sins,  although  at  the  same  time 
you  have  no  contrition  for  the  venial  sins.  But  these  venial  sins  are 
not  effaced,  and  I  would  exhort  you  to  detest  all  your  faults,  whether 
mortal  or  venial.  Since  contrition  is  always  necessary  for  the  validity 
of  the  absolution,  in  case  you  have  only  venial  sins  to  confess,  for 
which  you  may  not  be  sufficiently  sorry,  it  is  well  to  confess  one  of  the 
mortal  sins  of  your  past  life,  for  which  you  are  heartily  sorry. 

4th.  Contrition  must  be  supernatural.  The  word  supernatural 
means  above  nature.  When  I  say,  then,  that  contrition  must  be  super- 
natural, I  mean  that  it  must  come  from  God  and  that  it  must  be 
excited  in  us  by  motives  which  God  alone  or  faith  can  make  known  to 
us.      It  must  be  supernatural  in  principle  and  in  its  Tnotives. 

First,  contrition  must  be  supernatural  in  principle.  Without  the 
help  of  grace  we  can  do  nothing  for  salvation,  not  even  have  a  good 
thought,  or  pronounce  the  holy  name  of  Jesus  in  a  meritorious  manner. 
How,  then,  can  we  expect  to  obtain  contrition,  one  of  the  greatest  of 
graces,  by  our  own  eflForts?  God  alone  can  give  us  this  contrition  and 
we  must  beg  it  of  Him  like  the  royal  prophet :  O  Lord,  God  of 
29 


45° 


FOURTH   PART.      XIV.    INSTRUCTION 


hosts,  convert  us,  and  show  Thy  face  and  ive  shall  be  saved  (Ps.  Lxxix. 
20). 

Secondly,  contrition  must  be  supernatural  in  its  motive.  The 
motives  which  can  make  us  detest  sin  are  of  two  kinds  :  natural  and 
supernatural. 

Natural  motives  of  contrition  are  the  evils  which  sin  draws  upon 
us  in  the  order  of  nature,  such  as  sickness,  losses,  and  dishonor.  Such 
motives  cannot  give  a  sufficient  and  salutary  contrition.  God  does, 
indeed,  disapprove  of  them.  He  cannot  content  Himself  with  mere 
natural  sorrow,  because  it  is  not  on  account  of  having  offended  Him 
that  we  are  sorry,  but  on  account  of  the  temporal  evils  which  followed 
sin.  If  a  young  man,  through  his  excesses,  has  ruined  his  health,  and 
then  deplores  his  sins,  his  contrition  is  merely  natural.  If  a  thief,  a 
murderer,  who  is  condemned  to  the  penitentiary  or  to  death,  is  incon- 
solable on  account  of  his  crimes,  his  contrition  is  merely  natural.  If  a 
girl,  through  her  scandalous  conduct,  has  lost  her  honor,  and  weeps 
merely  on  account  of  the  shame  and  the  disgrace  she  has  drawn  upon 
herself,  her  contrition  is  merely  natural,  and  avails  nothing  towards 
her  forgiveness  before  God. 

Such  was  the  contrition  of  Antiochus,  who  detested  and  bewailed 
the  evils  which  he  had  caused  in  Jerusalem,  because  they  had  drawn 
upon  him  such  a  loathsome  disease  that  his  body  swarmed  with  worms, 
and  his  flesh  fell  off  in  lumps  and  sent  forth  an  insupportable  stench. 
Was  he  forgiven  on  account  of  this  sorrow?  No,  says  Holy  Scripture, 
because  it  was  not  on  account  of  the  offense  against  God  that  he  detested 
his  crimes,  but  solely  on  account  of  the  great  punishment  which  his 
sins  had  brought  upon  him. 

True  contrition  is  founded  upon  motives  of  faith.  Faith  teaches 
us  that  sin  is  the  greatest  injury  which  we  can  commit  against  God, 
who  is  infinitely  good  and  amiable,  and  the  most  audacious  revolt  by 
which  we  could  attack  His  sovereign  majesty.  It  teaches  us  that 
every  time  we  commit  a  mortal  sin,  we  crucify  Jesus  Christ  anew.  It 
teaches  us  that  mortal  sin  robs  the  soul  of  its  supernatural  life,  makes 
it  an  enemy  of  God,  and  a  slave  of  the  devil,  and  as  hideous  as  the 
devil  himself.  It  teaches  us  that  sin  deprives  the  soul  of  all  its  merits, 
and  makes  it  impossible  for  it  to  acquire  ne\v  ones  as  long  as  it 
remains  in  this  state  ;  that  it  closes  the  gates  of  heaven  against  us,  and 
opens  for  us  the  gates  of  hell.  Such  are  the  supernatural  motives  of 
contrition. 


ON  CONTRITION  ^ei 

In  order  to  excite  in  yourselves  a  supernatural  contrition,  consider: 
1st.  The  outrages  which  your  sins  have  caused  to  God;  2d.  The  treas- 
ures which  they  caused  you  to  lose  ;  3d.  The  evils  which  they  merited 
for  you. 

A  saintly  bishop  used  to  excite  himself  to  contrition  by  making 
three  stations  :  the  first  in  hell,  the  second  in  heaven,  the  third  on  cal- 
vary. In  the  first,  he  meditated  on  the  sad  lot  reserved  for  him  if  he 
happened  to  die  in  sin  ;  in  the  second,  he  meditated  on  the  infinite 
happiness  which  should  be  his  reward  if  he  were  faithful;  in  the  third, 
he  would  meditate  on  all  that  our  Saviour  had  done  and  suffered  out 
of  love  for  him.  This  threefold  consideration  never  failed  to  awaken 
in  his  heart  the  most  lively  sorrow. 

The  same  motives  should  make  the  same  impression  upon  you. 
Meditate  upon  them  when  you  go  to  confession,  and  by  this  means 
you  will  render  yourselves  worthy  to  receive  absolution,  whi^h  will 
efface  all  your  sins  and  bring  you  back  to  the  grace  and  friendship  of 
God.     Amen. 


XV.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Contrition   (  Concluded) 

After  having  explained  to  you  the  nature  of  contrition,  its  neces- 
sity and  character,  it  remains  for  me  to  speak  of  its  different  species 
and  the  marks  by  which  we  can  recognize  whether  we  have  a  true 
contrition  or  not. 

I.  There  are  two  kinds  of  contrition  :  perfect  and  imperfect  con- 
trition ;  the  latter  is  also  called  attrition.  Perfect  contrition  is  that 
which  is  excited  in  us  by  charity,  that  is,  by  the  consideration  that  we 
have  offended  a  God  sovereignly  perfect,  infinitely  amiable,  and  which 
makes  us  resolve  never  to  offend  God  any  more,  even  if  there  should 
be  neither  a  heaven  to  hope  for,  nor  a  hell  to  fear.  Imperfect  con- 
trition is  that  which  is  derived  from  the  hideousness  of  sin  or  from 
the  fear  of  the  punishments ;  that  is,  because  sin  deprives  us  of  grace, 
of  heaven,  of  the  merits  we  had  acquired,  of  the  quality  as  children 
of  God,  and  because  it  merits  for  us  endless  sufferings  in  hell.     It  is 


452 


FOURTH   PART.      XV.    INSTRUCTION 


called  imperfect  contrition,  or  attrition,  because  the  motives  which 
inspire  it  are  less  perfect.  In  perfect  contrition,  it  is  the  love  which 
we  have  for  an  infinitely  amiable  God  that  makes  us  detest  sin,  and  in 
attrition  it  is  the  evil  which  sin  has  caused  to  our  soul.  An  example 
will  easily  explain  the  difference  :  — 

Two  children,  by  their  disobedience,  have  greatly  offended  their 
father.  Both  are  sorry  for  their  fault,  but  from  very  different  mo- 
tives. One  is  sorry  solely  on  account  of  the  pain  he  has  caused  to  so 
tender  and  generous  a  father.  The  other  is  sorry  on  account  of  the 
severe  punishment  which  the  fault  draws  upon  him  and  of  the  loss  of 
inheritance,  which  may  be  the  consequence.  The  sorrow  of  the  first 
of  these  children  is  an  image  of  perfect  contrition ;  the  sorrow  of  the 
second,  an  image  of  imperfect  attrition. 

Thus,  pious  and  fervent  soul,  you  detest  your  sins  because  you 
have  offended  a  God  infinitely  perfect,  infinitely  amiable,  and  your 
sorrow  is  so  great,  that,  unmindful  of  punishment  or  reward,  you 
would  prefer  to  lose  all,  even  life  itself,  rather  than  offend  God  again  ; 
you  have  perfect  contrition.  You,  on  the  contrary,  penitent  soul, 
detest  your  sins,  indeed,  in  a  sovereign  manner ;  but  you  detest 
them  only  because  you  have  lost  your  right  to  heaven,  and  because 
you  have  merited  the  eternal  flames  of  hell ;  you  have  imperfect  con- 
trition. 

Perfect  contrition  is  not  necessary  to  obtain  the  pardon  of  sins  in 
the  sacrament  of  penance.  It  reconciles  the  sinner  with  God  by  its 
virtue,  and  independently  of  confession,  for  it  is  impossible  that  a  God 
infinitely  good  can  reject  a  soul  that  loves  Him  with  a  perfect  love. 
Before  the  institution  of  the  sacrament  of  penance,  perfect  contrition 
was  the  only  means  which  sinful  men  had  to  regain  the  favor  of  God 
after  they  had  offended  Him.  It  was  this  contrition  that  justified  an 
adulterous  David,  an  apostate  Peter,  a  sinful  Magdalen.  But  although 
this  contrition,  even  of  itself,  justifies  the  sinner,  it  does  not,  on  that 
account,  dispense  with  confession.  Indeed,  forgiveness  is  possible  only 
in  so  far  as  one  has  the  intention  to  go  to  confession.  A  soul  cannot 
be  penetrated  with  this  perfect  supernatural  sorrow  without  being  at 
the  same  time  disposed  to  fulfill  faithfully  all  the  commandments  of 
God  and  of  the  Church,  and,  consequently,  ready  to  submit  to  con- 
fession. 

II.  The  contrition  necessary  to  obtain  the  pardon  of  sins  in  the 
sacrament  of  penance  is  attrition.     With  the  grace  of  this  sacrament 


ON  CONTRITION  45 ^ 

it  is  sufficient  for  our  justification,  if  it  is  accompanied  with  a  firm 
purpose  of  amendment,  with  confidence  in  God,  and  with  a  beginning 
of  the  love  of  God,  considered  as  a  source  of  justice.  Let  us  examine 
each  of  these  conditions. 

1st.  A  firm  purpose  of  amendment^  that  is,  a  sincere  resolution  to 
sin  no  more.  There  cannot  be  any  true  contrition  without  sorrow  for 
the  past,  and  firm  purpose  to  sin  no  more  in  future.  This  is  the  teach- 
ing of  the  Council  of  Trent.  Indeed,  can  any  one  conceive  that  God 
could  pardon  us  for  our  crimes  if  we  have  the  intention  to  offend  Him 
again  ?  It  is  not  sufficient,  therefore,  that  the  sinner  repents  of  having 
merited  hell  or  lost  heaven,  but  he  must  also  be  resolved  not  to  sin  any 
more  in  future  ;  not  merely  to  avoid  hell,  but  in  order  not  to  offend 
God.  If  the  sinner  were  to  avoid  sin  only  in  order  to  escape  hell,  and 
were  willing  to  commit  sin  if  hell  did  not  exist,  he  would  not  have 
sufficient  contrition ;  his  sorrow  would  be  a  mercenary  sorrow  or,  as 
the  theologians  callit,  ^''servilely  servile?^  Such  a  servile  fear  could 
very  easily  coexist  with  the  affection  for  sin,  and  it  would  be  nothing 
but  the  fear  of  the  thief  and  murderer,  who  abstain  from  crime  in 
order  not  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  human  justice.  Therefore,  the 
sinner  who  returns  to  God,  by  attrition,  must  be  resolved  not  only  to 
avoid  hell,  but  also  to  offend  God  no  more.  His  sorrow  must  be  that 
of  a  good  son  who  returns  to  his  father,  and  who  promises  to  be  sub- 
ject to  him  in  future,  and  not  to  displease  him  any  more. 

2d.  Confidence  in  God,  or  the  hope  of  pardon.  This  hope  is  neces- 
sary for  our  justification.  If  everywhere  and  at  all  times  we  have  a 
right  to  trust  in  the  divine  mercy,  with  much  more  reason  may  we 
expect  God's  mercy  in  the  very  tribunal  of  mercy.  What  an  outrage 
on  the  goodness  of  God  if  a  sinner  were  to  lack  confidence  in  God's 
mercy?  Was  it  not  despair  that  caused  the  damnation  of  Cain  and 
Judas?  However  great  and  numerous  your  crimes  may  be,  you  must 
always  have  confidence.  The  goodness  of  God  will  always  be  infinitely 
greater  than  your  malice.  It  is  this  sweet  confidence  which  procures 
such  great  consolations  in  the  tribunal  of  penance ;  and  these  consola- 
tions inspired  St.  Bernard  with  the  beautiful  words  :  ^*  O  my  God,  if 
it  is  so  sweet  to  weep  for  love  of  Thee,  how  sweet  must  it  not  be  to 
rejoice  with  Thee?* 

3d.  A  Beginning  of  the  Love  of  God  as  the  Source  of  All  fustice. — 
There  is  a  commandment  which  obliges  us  to  love  God  with  our  whole 
heart,  with  our  whole  soul,  and  wnth  all  our  strength  ;  and  nobody  can 


^e^  FOURTH   PART.      XV.    INSTRUCTION 

be  saved  if  he  does  not  observe  this  first  and  greatest  of  all  precepts, 
which  contains  within  itself  all  the  others.  If  this  love  of  God  is  nec- 
essary at  all  times,  it  is  especially  in  the  sacrament  of  penance ;  for 
how  could  God,  infinite  goodness  though  He  be,  pardon  one  who  does 
not  love  Him  and  who  refuses  to  observe  His  first  and  greatest  com- 
mandment? 

But  if  it  is  always  necessary  to  love  God  above  all  things,  why  do 
we  say  that,  in  order  that  attrition  may  be  sufficient,  only  a  beginning 
of  the  love  of  God,  considered  as  a  source  of  all  justice,  is  required? 
On  this  point  great  discussions  had  been  raised  among  the  theo- 
logians. The  most  commendable  opinion  is  that  which  draws  its 
reason  from  the  difference  which  exists  between  the  motives  that 
oblige  us  to  the  love  of  God.  Why  must  we  love  God  above  every- 
thing? Either  because  He  commands  us  to  love  Him  under  pain  of 
eternal  punishment,  or  on  account  of  the  benefits  which  He  confers 
on  us,  or,  finally,  because  He  is  sovereignly  perfect  and  sovereignly 
amiable.  On  account  of  all  these  motives  together,  or  on  account  of 
any  one  of  them,  it  is  necessary  to  love  God  above  all  things.  But  it 
need  not  be  for  the  sole  motive  of  His  infinite  amiability  and  perfec- 
tions. To  love  Him  above  everything  for  this  sole  motive  is  to  have 
perfect  charity.  God  does  not  require  this  of  the  sinner.  He  contents 
Himself  with  a  beginning  of  this  pure  and  disinterested  love,  provided 
that  the  latter  motive  joined  to  the  others  makes  us  love  Him  more 
than  anything  else.  In  other  terms,  to  pardon  us  in  the  sacrament  of 
penance,  God  is  not  content  that  we  should  love  Him  on  account  of 
the  good  which  we  derive  from  the  sacrament ;  but  it  is  His  will  that 
we  should  also  begin  to  love  Him  on  account  of  Himself,  or  on  account 
of  His  adorable  perfections.  It  is  this  that  we  understand  when  we 
say,  with  the  Council  of  Trent,  that,  for  attrition  to  be  sufficient,  one 
must  have  a  beginning  of  the  love  of  God  as  the  source  of  all  justice. 

III.  Whatever  may  be  the  truth  in  this  difficult  question,  one  thing 
is  certain,  that  it  is  not  sufficient  for  the  sinner  to  detest  sin,  on 
account  of  hell  which  he  has  deserved,  but  he  must  have,  at  least,  a  be- 
ginning of  the  love  of  God,  and  that  the  more  intense  this  love  is  the 
better  his  attrition  will  be. 

Attrition  must  be  interior,  supernatural,  sovereign,  and  universal, 
like  perfect  contrition  itself ;  and  these  two  contritions,  though  they 
are  different  in  their  motives,  do  not  differ  at  all  in  their  extent.  In 
practice  it  is  not  even  good  to  distinguish  between  the  one  and  the 


ON  CONTRITION  455 

other.  The  best  is  to  unite  all  the  motives  which  can  make  us  de- 
test sin,  for  fear  that,  in  separating  them,  our  sorrow  may  not  be 
sufficient. 

In  order  to  excite  ourselves  to  contrition,  reflect  on  the  grievous- 
ness  and  multitude  of  your  sins ;  transport  yourselves  in  spirit  to  the 
grave,  represent  to  yourselves  the  suddenness  and  the  ravages  of  death; 
think  of  the  judgment  of  God  which  follows  immediately  after  death; 
from  thence  descend  in  spirit  into  hell,  to  consider  those  horrible  pools 
of  fire  which  shall  be  one  day  your  lot,  if  you  die  in  sin,  and  then 
say  to  yourselves :  Where  should  I  go  if  God  w^ere  to  strike  me 
down  in  the  state  in  which  I  am  now?  How  many  souls  are  there  in 
hell  that  are  less  guilty  than  myself?  Elevate  yourselves  in  spirit  tp 
heaven,  and  at  the  sight  of  the  unspeakable  joys  and  delight  with 
which  God  rewards  there  the  elect,  cry  out:  How  could  I,  for  a  vain 
and  frivolous  pleasure  renounce  an  eternity  of  happiness?  Meditate 
upon  the  infinite  goodness  of  God,  which  has  borne  with  you  until  now; 
think  of  the  numberless  benefits  with  which  He  has  overwhelmed  you 
and  with  which  He  overwhelms  you  still  every  day,  and  of  the  fright- 
ful ravages  which  mortal  sin  makes  in  the  soul,  in  causing  it  to  lose 
the  friendship  of  God,  in  robbing  it  of  all  its  merits,  and  causing  it  to 
deserve  hell. 

All  these  motives  I  have  enumerated  are  excellent  to  awaken  con- 
trition ;  but  you  will  do  still  better  if  you  go  in  spirit  to  Mount  Cal- 
vary, and  there,  prostrate  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  say  to  yourself: 
Why  did  my  Saviour  spill  even  the  last  drop  of  His  blood?  —  Out  of 
love  for  me.  What  caused  Him  so  many  torments?  —  It  was  my 
sins.  What  do  I  do  every  time  in  committing  sin?  —  I  crucify  Jesus 
anew.  What  malice!  what  ingratitude! — Finally,  consider  God  sov- 
ereignly good  in  Himself,  and  the  source  of  all  good,  of  all  perfec- 
tions, of  all  justice  ;  and  cry  out  with  the  penitent  Augustine  :  "  O 
goodness,  ever  ancient  and  ever  new,  too  late  have  I  commenced  to 
know  and  love  Thee.**  But  now  I  begin,  and  in  future  I  desire 
to  love  Thee  alone,  and  I  will  sacrifice  my  life  rather  than  offend 
Thee  again. 

IV.  By  what  marks  can  true  contrition  be  recognized?  No  one 
can  be  certain  of  the  validity  of  his  contrition.  God  alone  can  tell. 
St.  Paul  tells  us  to  -work  out  our  salvation  'with  fear  and  trembling 
(Phil.  II.  12)  ;  and  the  wise  man  said:  Man  knotveth  not  'whether  he 
is  -worthy  of  love  or  hatred  (Eccl.  ix.  i). 


456 


FOURTH   PART.      XV.   INSTRUCTION 


Some  of  the  marks  of  true  contrition  are  :  ist.  A  Change  of  Life. 
—  Have  you  ceased  to  offend  God  after  your  confessions?  Have  you 
corrected  yourselves  of  your  evil  habits,  such  as  neglecting  your 
prayers,  blaspheming  the  holy  name  of  God,  desecrating  the  Sunday? 
Did  you,  fathers  and  mothers,  masters  and  mistresses,  after  confes- 
sion, take  more  care  of  your  children,  of  your  domestics,  than  you  did 
before?  Did  you  watch  over  their  conduct?  Did  you  rebuke,  cor- 
rect, and  edify  them,  as  you  ought  to  do?  And  you,  children  and 
servants,  have  you  been  more  submissive,  more  attentive  to  your 
duties?  You,  libertines,  have  you  corrected  your  shameful  vices? 
You,  unjust  retainers  of  others'  goods,  have  you  returned  your  ill- 
gotten  goods  and  satisfied  for  your  injustices?  You,  transgressors  of 
the  laws  of  the  Church,  have  you  finally  come  to  the  decision  to  ob- 
serve the  laws  of  fasting  and  abstinence,  to  go  to  confession  and 
communion  at  least  when  the  precept  of  the  Church  obliges? 

But,  on  the  contrary,  are  you  the  same  after  confession  as  you 
were  before?  Are  you  still  lukewarm  and  careless  in  the  service  of 
God,  cursers  and  blasphemers,  libertines  and  drunkards,  as  before, 
hateful  and  full  of  revenge,  rebellious  against  the  laws  of  the  Church? 
Then,  indeed,  you  may  be  well  afraid  that  your  contrition  was  not 
sincere. 

2d.  The  Will  to  Repair  the  Evil  One  Has  Done. —  If  you  gave 
scandal  by  your  conduct,  and  you  have  tried  to  repair  it  as  well  as 
possible  by  your  good  example  ;  if  you  were  at  variance  with  your 
neighbor,  and  you  have  become  reconciled  with  them ;  if  you  have 
committed  injustices,  and  you  have  restored  all,  or,  at  least,  you  have 
taken  measures  to  do  this  as  soon  as  possible — then  your  contrition  was 
true.  But,  if,  on  the  contrary,  you  have  not  repaired  the  injury  done, 
and  have  not  wished  to  impose  upon  yourselves  any  inconvenience 
or  sacrifice  to  fulfill  your  obligations,  then  you  may  well  fear  for  your 
confessions,  for  your  contrition  was  not  a  true  contrition. 

3d.  Sincere  Efforts  to  Correct  Oneself. —  The  sacraments  do  not, 
indeed,  render  us  impeccable.  In  spite  of  your  falls  and  relapses, 
your  confessions  may  have  been  good,  if  you  have  combatted  with 
energy  the  temptations  of  the  devil  and  the  violence  of  your  passions ; 
if  you  have  employed  the  necessary  means  of  perseverance,  such  as 
prayer,  mortification,  watchfulness.  But  if  you  have  succumbed  to 
the  first  attacks,  it  is  a  sad  and  deplorable  sign!  Your  heart  is  not 
changed,  and  you  remain  always  the  same. 


ON   CONFESSION  >e- 

Finally,  a  fourth  and  last  mark  is,  flight  from  the  proximate  occa- 
sions of  sin.  Proximate  occasions  of  sin  are  those  which  lead  you 
directly  into  the  temptations  of  sin,  and  which  make  you  fall  almost 
every  time  you  meet  with  them.  It  is  evident  that  you  are  obliged  to 
flee  from  such  occasions.  He  who  loves  the  danger  ivill  perish  therein 
(Eccl.  III.  37).  It  is  impossible  to  preserve  yourself  pure,  if  you  fre- 
quent the  company  of  the  wicked  and  of  those  who  have  already  been 
for  you  the  occasion  of  repeated  sins.  Do  you  still  visit  that  person, 
that  house  which  has  been  a  stumbling-block  for  you?  If  you  have 
broken  off  all  unlawful  connections  and  avoided  all  dangerous  places, 
and  occasions,  then  your  contrition  has  the  mark  of  a  true  contrition. 
No  one  imposes  sacrifices  of  this  nature  upon  himself,  without  being 
really  converted.  But  if  you  have  continued,  after  your  confessions, 
to  frequent  the  same  company,  if  you  visit  those  same  wicked  persons, 
if  you  continue  to  go  into  the  same  dangerous  houses,  then  I  anj  afraid 
that  your  contrition  was  not  good,  and  you  may  well  fear  for  the  state 
of  your  soul.  If  you  have  a  horror  of  an  evil,  you  will  not  expose 
yourself  to  it ;  if  you  are  afraid  to  fall  over  a  precipice,  you  do  not 
sleep  on  its  brink. 

Make  a  rigorous  examination  of  your  past  life.  If  you  do  not  rec- 
ognize marks  of  true  conversion,  and  if  your  conscience  reproaches 
you,  go  to  a  kind  father  confessor  and  tell  him  of  your  state,  and  he 
will  prescribe  the  means  to  repair  your  previous  confessions  and  to  re- 
concile you  with  God.  But,  for  the  future,  be  on  your  guard ;  try  to 
excite  in  your  heart  a  true  contrition  ;  on  this  will  depend  your  justifi- 
cation, your  progress  in  virtue,  and  your  salvation.     Amen. 


XVI.     INSTRUCTION 

On  Confession 

The  second  part  of  the  sacrament  of  penance  is  confession.  Sev- 
eral instructions  will  be  necessary  to  explain  this  important  subject. 
To-day  I  shall  content  myself  with  speaking  of  its  nature,  necessity, 
and  advantages.     Since  the  heretics  and  infidels  of  the  last  centuries 


458 


FOURTH   PART.      XVI.    INSTRUCTION 


have  protested  so  much  against  the  law  of  confession,  and  since  im- 
pious men  of  our  own  days  often  make  it  the  object  of  their  mockery 
and  sarcasm,  it  is  necessary  to  enlighten  you  on  these  essential  points. 

I.  Confession  is  an  accusation  of  all  one' s  sins  to  a  duly  authorized 
priest,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  absolution. 

1st.  Confession  is  an  accusation.  It  is  not,  therefore,  a  simple 
recital  of  one's  sins,  made  by  way  of  conversation,  amusement,  or 
ostentation,  but  a  real  declaration,  made  with  humility  and  compunc- 
tion, before  God  who  knows  all,  and  at  the  feet  of  the  minister  who 
holds  His  place. 

2d.  Confession  is  an  accusation  of  all  one' s  sins,  even  of  the  most 
secret  and  most  humiliating ;  for  one  single  sin  concealed  would  make 
confession  null  and  sacrilegious.  This  must  be  understood  only  of 
mortal  sins,  because  confession  of  venial  sins,  although  very  useful,  is 
.not  necessary. 

3d.  Confession  must  be  made  to  a  priest,  because  only  the  priests 
have  received  the  power  to  remit  sins.  And  to  a  duly  authorized 
priest,  because,  besides  the  sacerdotal  power  which  the  priest  receives 
in  his  ordination,  he  must  have,  moreover,  the  approbation  or  the 
authorization  of  the  bishop,  just  as  it  is  not  sufficient  for  a  magistrate 
to  be  named  by  the  government  to  an  office,  but  the  place  must 
also  be  designated  where  he  should  exercise  his  ministry  or  juris- 
diction. 

4th.  Confession  is  made  in  order  to  receive  absolution  from  sin; 
because  this  constitutes,  properly  speaking,  the  sacramental  confes- 
sion, and  because  in  making  confession  the  principal  end  is  to  obtain 
a  decree  of  pardon. 

II.  Is  confession  necessary  for  absolution.?  Yes,  it  is  absolutely 
necessary. 

When  our  Lord  wished  to  institute  the  sacrament  of  penance,  He 
said  to  His  apostles,  and,  in  their  person,  to  all  priests  who  should 
succeed  them  in  the  sacred  ministry  :  As  the  Father  has  sent  me,  I  send 
you;  receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost;  -whose  sins  you  shall  forgive  they  are 
forgiven  them,  and  -whose  sins  you  shall  retain  they  are  retained 
(John  XX.  23).  Undoubtedly,  these  words  signify  that  the  Son  of 
God,  in  instituting  the  sacrament  of  penance,  has  instituted  confes- 
sion. By  these  words  it  is  evident  that  He  gives  a  double  power 
to  His  apostles  and  to  their  successors,  the  power  of  remitting  sins 
and   that  of  retaining  them,  that  is,  the  power  to  absolve  and  the 


ON   CONFESSION 


459 


power  to  condemn.  Therefore,  they  are  established  as  judges  of  con- 
sciences, and  the  absolution  which  they  grant  or  refuse  is  a  real  sentence 
of  condemnation  or  of  pardon.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  also  evident 
that  in  the  mind  of  the  Saviour  there  are  sins  which  must  be  remitted, 
and  others  which  must  be  retained,  according  as  the  penitent  is  well 
or  ill  disposed.  Now,  how  could  the  priests  know  the  state  of  con- 
sciences, without  confession?  How  could  they  distinguish  the  sins 
that  ought  to  be  remitted  and  those  that  should  be  retained,  without 
confession?  How,  for  instance,  could  a  judge  in  court  acquit  or  con- 
demn an  accused  without  hearing  the  \vitnesses  and  without  a  discus- 
sion of  the  facts?  When,  therefore,  our  Saviour  gave  to  the  priests 
the  double  power  to  remit  or  to  retain  sins.  He  established  confession 
as  an  indispensable  condition  for  the  exercise  of  this  power.  There- 
fore, either  there  is  no  sacrament  of  penance  established  by  our  Lord 
for  the  remission  of  sins,  or  confession  was  established  at  tlje  same 
time  by  our  divine  Saviour  as  a  necessary  part  of  the  sacrament. 

The  Church,  always  infallible  in  her  doctrine,  has  constantly  inter- 
preted these  words  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  sense  just  indicated.  In  the 
sixteenth  century,  in  the  holy  Council  of  Trent,  she  declared  anathema 
on  everyone  ivho  ivould  dare  to  deny  that  sacramental  cotifession  is 
a  divine  institution,  or  that  it  is  necessary  for  salvation  by  divine 
right,  or  that  the  manner  of  confessing  secretly  to  the  priest  alone, 
such  as  the  Catholic  Church  observes  it  and  has  always  observed  it 
from  the  very  beginning,  is  not  conformable  to  the  institution  and  to 
the  preceft  of  Christy  but  that  it  is  a  human  invention  (Sess.  xiv., 
Can.  6,  7?  8).  Four  hundred  years  earlier,  the  Council  of  Lateran, 
under  the  most  severe  penalties,  obliged  all  the  faithful  of  both  sexes, 
having  the  use  of  reason,  to  go  to  confession  at  least  once  a  year.  And 
if  we  consult  the  practice  of  the  preceding  centuries,  and  go  back  to 
the  time  of  the  apostles ;  if  we  consult  the  writings  of  the  most  an- 
cient Fathers,  we  shall  find  confession  practiced  everywhere  and 
always  acknowledged  as  necessary.  In  the  sixth  century,  St.  Gregory 
the  Great,  addressing  himself  to  the  sinners  of  his  time,  said  to  them  : 
"Why  do  you  hide  your  sins?  Bring  them  forth  in  confession. 
Let  the  sinner  confess  his  sins,  in  bringing  forth  outwardly 
what  is  hidden  in  the  most  secret  recesses  of  his  heart,  after  which 
he  may  be  freed  from  them  through  the  ministry  of  the  priests,  as 
Lazarus  was  freed  by  the  disciples  of  the  Saviour.'*  In  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, St.  Augustine  spoke  thus:   "Let  nobody  say:  *I  do  penance  in 


460  FOURTH   PART.      XVI.   INSTRUCTION 

secret  before  the  eyes  of  God.'  It  is  not  enough  to  confess  to  God, 
*  we  must  also  confess  to  those  who  have  the  power  to  bind  and  to 
loose.**'  In  the  fourth  century,  St.  Basil  spoke  in  the  same  terms: 
"  One  must  necessarily  reveal  his  sins  to  those  who  have  received  the 
power  of  dispensing  God's  mysteries.'*  In  the  third  century,  St. 
Cyprian  teaches  that  exomologesis  (confession)  is  necessary  according 
to  the  discipline  established  by  the  Lord.  In  the  second  century,  Ter- 
tullian  expresses  himself  thus :  ^*  Will  it  be  more  advantageous  to 
condemn  yourselves  in  hiding  your  sins  than  to  save  yourselves  in 
declaring  them?  .  .  .  To  the  priests  must  be  made  this  declara- 
tion, for  to  them  is  granted  the  power  to  absolve."  In  the  first  cen- 
tury, St.  Clement,  disciple  of  St.  Peter,  exhorts  the  faithful  who  are 
careful  of  their  souls  not  to  be  ashamed  to  confess  their  sins  to  the  one 
who  presides  over  the  Church,  in  order  that  they  may  thereby  avoid 
eternal  punishment.  And  he  declares  that  St.  Peter  himself  taught 
his  disciples  to  confess  to  the  priests  even  their  most  secret  thoughts. 
Finally,  in  the  same  century,  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  Church, 
St.  James  and  St.  John  recommend  confession  to  the  faithful,  and  St. 
Luke  tells  us,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  that  a  great  number  of 
believers  came  to  the  feet  of  the  apostles  to  confess  their  sins  :  And 
many  of  them  that  believed  came  confessing  and  declaring  their  sins 
(Acts  XIX.  18). 

In  the  face  of  so  many  testimonies  and  of  thousands  of  others 
which  we  could  quote,  in  face  of  the  constant  belief  and  practice  of 
the  Church,  and  of  the  formal  decisions  of  the  Councils,  how  can  any 
one  refuse  to  acknowledge  the  divine  institution  of  the  sacramental 
confession  and  its  absolute  necessity  for  salvation  ? 

In  case  that  there  is  still  any  one  who  doubts,  I  would  say  :  Either 
it  is  God  Himself  who  has  instituted  confession,  or  it  was  instituted  by 
men.  If  it  was  done  by  men,  by  some  bishop  or  pope,  then  name 
him,  and  tell  me  in  what  epoch  and  in  what  place  confession  was  in- 
stituted, for  it  is  impossible  that  confession  should  be  invented  by  a 
man  without  history  preserving  the  record  of  the  fact.  It  is  impossi- 
ble that  a  law  so  severe  and  so  repugnant  to  human  nature  could  have 
been  established  by  a  human  authority,  without  any  one  knowing  the 
date  or  the  author.  You  cannot  point  out  either  the  one  or  the  other. 
Examine  history  and  you  will  find  confession  established  and  practiced 
everywhere;  you  find  it  in  the  first  ages  and  in  the  apostolic  times; 
you  find  it  in  all  the  Catholic  Churches  of  the  most  distant  lands  as 


ON   CONFESSION 


461 


well  as  in  the  verj'  center  of  Catholicity ;  you  find  it  among  the 
schismatics  and  even  among  many  heretical  sects,  such  as  the  Nestor- 
ians,  the  Eutychians,  the  Jacobites,  and  other  Oriental  sects  whose 
separation  dates  back  to  the  first  centuries  of  Christianity.  From  this 
universality,  from  this  incontestable  perpetuity,  I  conclude  that  con- 
fession has  not  been  established  by  men,  and  that  it  can  have  only  God 
for  author. 

Therefore,  my  brethren,  it  is  proved  that  confession  is  of  divine 
institution,  that  it  is  of  an  indispensable  necessity  to  obtain  pardon  in 
the  sacrament  of  penance ;  and  that  the  Church  obliges  us  to  have  re- 
course to  this  sacrament  at  least  once  a  year.  If  we  are  true  children 
of  the  Church,  that  is,  if  we  have  the  desire  to  save  our  souls,  we 
should  humbly  submit  ourselves  to  this  holy  and  inviolable  law,  we 
should  respect  it  as  coming  from  the  hand  of  God;  and  we  should 
deem  ourselves  happy  for  having  always  at  our  disposal  such  a  power- 
ful means  of  salvation. 

III.  **  But,**  you  may  say,  ^^  if  confession  is  necessary,  how  does  it 
come  that  there  are  so  many  Christians  who  do  not  go  to  confession?* 
But,  in  my  turn,  I  would  ask  you  :  How  comes  it  that  there  are  so 
many  Christians  who  are  damned  ?  If  there  are  so  many  who  do  not 
go  to  confession,  it  is  because  they  have  no  faith,  or  because  they  do 
not  wish  to  correct  their  bad  habits,  or  keep  away  from  the  proximate 
occasions  of  sin,  or  make  restitution  of  ill-gotten  goods.  But  if  there 
are  many  who  do  not  go  regularly  to  confession  during  life,  there  are 
very  few  who  do  not  desire  to  make  their  confession  at  the  hour  of 
death. 

*^  But,**  you  may  say,  "  it  is  so  hard  and  so  humiliating  to  tell  to  a 
man  with  whom  one  lives  sins  which  are  so  shameful  and  so  infa- 
mous.** I  do  not  say  that  it  is  not  a  painful  and  humiliating  thing, 
but  it  is  precisely  to  punish  and  to  humble  you  that  confession  has  been 
established ;  it  is  precisely  this  confusion  and  self-abasement  which 
renders  confession  useful  and  meritorious.  Moreover,  if  it  is  an  indis- 
pensable condition  for  salvation,  and  if  there  is  no  other  alternative 
but  to  go  to  confession  or  to  go  to  hell,  can  you  hesitate  for  a  moment? 
Could  not  God,  the  Master  of  all,  subject  your  salvation  to  still  harder 
conditions?  And  if,  as  was  the  case  before  the  coming  of  Christ, 
you  should  have  no  other  means  of  forgiveness  but  perfect  contrition, 
which  is  so  difficult  and  so  rare,  would  you  have  been  more  happy? 
Of   what   should    you  be  afraid?      The  sins  which  you  intrust  to  a 


462  FOURTH   PART.      XVI.    INSTRUCTION 

confessor  are  buried  forever  in  the  most  profound  secrecy.  Both  the 
divine  and  the  ecclesiastical  lavv^s  oblige  the  priest  to  secrecy  under 
punishments  so  great  that  he  is  not  tempted  to  be  unfaithful.  Even 
if  the  priest  were  threatened  with  exile  and  death,  he  would  not  fail 
to  keep  his  secret.  Did  you  ever  hear  of  a  confessor  who  violated 
the  secret  of  confession?  No;  I  defy  the  most  declared  enemy  of 
religion  to  quote  one  single  example.  This  is  one  of  the  points 
wherein  divine  Providence  is  to  be  admired.  Confessors  have  been 
subjected  to  the  most  cruel  torments  in  order  to  force  from  them  what 
they  heard  in  confession  ;  others  have  lost  their  reason  and  revealed 
their  own  sins,  but  not  one  of  them  has  ever  revealed  the  secrets  of 
confession. 

^*  But  what  will  my  confessor  think  of  me,  if  I  confess  such  a 
shameful  fault ;  if  I  reveal  to  him  all  the  iniquity  of  my  life.''  '^  Ah! 
my  dear  brother,  what  idea  have  you  yourself  of  your  confessor?  Do 
you  believe  that  he  does  not  know,  as  well  as  you,  all  the  weaknesses 
of  which  man  is  capable?  What  will  my  confessor  think  of  me? 
Well,  the  idea  which  he  will  have  of  you  is  that  if  you  have  been  a 
great  sinner,  you  are  now  a  great  penitent.  He  will  esteem  you  all 
the  more;  you  will  be  for  him  a  subject  of  great  joy;  and,  like  the 
blessed  in  heaven,  he  will  rejoice  as  much  over  your  conversion  as 
over  the  perseverance  of  ninety-nine  just.  Consider  your  confessor  as 
a  father,  as  a  friend,  and  as  the  best  of  friends.  See  in  him  Jesus 
Christ  Himself  whose  place  he  holds.  Whoever  you  may  be  and 
whatever  your  crime  may  be,  come  with  all  confidence  to  confession, 
and  be  convinced  that  the  advantages  which  you  shall  draw  from  con- 
fession shall  fully  compensate  you  for  all  the  pains  and  all  the  sac- 
rifices which  it  might  have  caused  you. 

IV.  In  fact,  my  brethren,  what  benefits  and  what  consolations  do 
we  not  draw  from  a  good  confession?  The  first  is  the  pardon  of  sins. 
Is  it  a  small  favor  to  be  able  to  obtain  by  such  an  easy  means  the  re- 
mission of  all  our  sins,  however  enormous  they  might  be,  and  to  regain 
all  our  rights  to  heaven?  If  there  were  no  other  motive  but  this, 
should  we  hesitate  for  an  instant  to  submit  ourselves  to  confession?  If 
there  should  be  some  king  so  good  and  so  indulgent  as  to  promise 
liberty  to  all  those  detained  in  prison,  under  condition  that  they  should 
make  an  avowal  of  their  crimes  to  a  magistrate  who  would  be  bound 
to  the  most  inviolable  secrecy,  do  you  believe  that  there  would  be  a 
single  one  that   would  not  comply  with  a  condition   so  easy?     Why 


ON   CONFESSION 


463 


should  it  not  be  the  same  in  regard  to  confession,  since  it  has  the  power 
to  preserve  us  not  only  from  an  eternity  of  torments,  but  also  to  merit 
for  us  an  eternity  of  happiness  ? 

But  confession  has  other  advantages.  While  purifying  us  from  the 
sins  which  we  have  committed,  it  is  also  a  preservative  to  hinder  us 
from  committing  them  anew.  The  sacramental  graces  of  confession, 
the  salutary  advices,  instructions,  and  exhortations  of  the  confessor, 
the  natural  shame  attached  to  the  accusation  of  our  faults,  the  penance 
imposed,  are  all  eminently  useful  means  to  subdue  our  passions,  to  cor- 
rect vice,  and  to  maintain  the  soul  in  its  duty.  How  many  persons 
of  all  ages  and  conditions  of  life,  especially  young  men  and  young 
women,  owe  their  piety,  their  virtue,  and  their  honor,  to  confession! 
We  have  the  experience  of  this  every  day,  and  it  is  very  easy  to  notice 
the  great  difference  which  exists  between  the  morality,  uprightness, 
and  charity  of  those  who  go  to  confession  and  those  who  do  not. 
Parents  and  masters,  I  appeal  to  your  own  testimony,  and  ask  you 
which  of  your  children  or  of  your  servants  are  more  respectful  and 
obedient,  with  whom  are  you  most  satisfied.?  Are  they  not  those  who 
go  freqently  to  confession  ? 

Confession  is  the  powerful  bulwark  against  the  passions,  and  a 
sure  and  efficacious  means  to  avoid  sin  and  to  save  one's  soul.  What 
other  services  does  it  not  render,  either  through  restitution,  or  by  ap- 
peasing hatred  and  revenge,  or  maintaining  peace  and  harmony  in  the 
household,  or  stopping  criminal  relations,  and  in  so  many  other  do- 
mestic and  social  needs !  When  you  are  in  doubt  as  to  what  state  of 
life  to  adopt,  is  it  not  to  your  confessor  that  you  have  recourse? 
When  a  child,  a  husband,  or  any  other  person  is  for  you  a  source  of 
anxiety  and  makes  life  hard  and  bitter,  is  it  not  the  sweet  influence 
or  the  charitable  advice  of  a  confessor  which  you  seek.-* 

You  must  admit  that  there  is  nothing  from  which  we  derive  such 
precious  advantages  as  from  confession.  It  is  a  great  benefit  of  God. 
A  writer  sadly  famous  has  admitted  this  in  a  moment  of  sincerity,  for 
he  said  that  confession  is  a  divine  institution,  and  had  its  origin  only 
in  the  infinite  mercy  of  its  author.  (Voltaire).  Would  that  he  had 
always  adhered  to  this  sentiment ! 

To  these  many  advantages  of  confession,  let  us  add  the  many  con- 
solations which  it  procures  us.  Who  can  express  the  peace,  the  calm, 
the  happiness,  found  in  confession !  One  day  an  old  captain  hear- 
ing Father  Bridaine  preach  on  confession,  was  so  touched  that  after 


464  FOURTH   PART.      XVII.   INSTRUCTION 

the  sermon  he  followed  him  into  the  sacristy  and  threw  himself  at 
his  feet  to  make  the  avowal  of  his  crimes.  Having  received  absolu- 
tion he  could  not  help  expressing  his  joy,  and  said  to  everybody  that, 
in  his  whole  life,  he  never  tasted  such  a  pure  and  sweet  pleasure. 
And  how  many  others  have  experienced  this  more  than  once!  Re- 
member the  happy  time  of  a  general  confession,  after  having  fallen 
into  many  disorders ;  of  a  retreat,  of  a  jubilee,  of  a  forty  hours'  devo- 
tion. Ah!  what  sweet  joy,  what  calm,  what  happiness  in  your  soul! 
Is  there  still  any  one  here  who  hesitates  to  fulfill  the  duty  of  con- 
fession, to  have  recourse  to  this  source  of  peace  and  happiness?  It  is 
either  confession  or  damnation  —  there  is  no  middle  road.  Without 
confession  —  relentless  remorses  in  this  life  and  hell  in  the  other. 
With  confession — joy,  peace  in  this  world,  and  an  unspeakable  hap- 
piness in  eternity.     Take  your  choice. 


XVII.     INSTRUCTION 
On    Confession    ( Confd) 

In  the  preceding  instruction  I  have  explained  to  you  the  nature, 
the  necessity,  and  the  advantages  of  confession.  In  the  present  and 
the  following  instruction  I  shall  speak  of  the  qualities  of  confession. 
Confession,  in  order  to  be  good,  must  have  four  qualities:  it  must  be 
entire,  humble,  simple,  and  prudent.  Let  us  limit  ourselves  to-day  to 
the  first  and  most  essential,  which  is  the  integrity. 

I.  The  holy  Council  of  Trent  expresses  itself  thus,  on  the  first 
condition  of  confession  :  "  The  penitent  is  obliged  by  divine  law  to 
confess  all  and  each  of  his  mortal  sins  which  he  remembers  after  a 
careful  examination,  as  well  as  the  circumstances  which  change  the 
species  of  sin  *^  (Sess.  xiv.). 

To  make  an  entire  confession  is  to  declare  all  one's  mortal  sins  as 
one  knows  them,  with  their  number  and  their  kind,  and,  according  to 
the  advice  of  most  theologians,  with  the  circumstances  notably  aggra- 
vating them.  Consequently,  in  order  to  make  our  confession  well,  it 
is  not  enough  to  say  in  a  general  manner :  "  I  have  committed  very 


ON  CONFESSION 


465 


many  sins;  I  am  a  miserable  sinner.'*  You  must  name  the  sins  which 
you  have  committed,  telling  the  number  and  the  circumstances  which 
may  change  the  species,  or  increase  their  malice.  Without  these 
explanations,  without  these  circumstantial  details,  it  would  be  impos- 
sible for  the  confessor  to  judge  of  the  state  of  your  conscience,  or 
know  what  penance  he  ought  to  impose  upon  you,  and  whether  he 
should  absolve  you  or  not. 

Therefore,  you  must  declare  :  ist.  The  number.  Hence  you  must 
tell  how  many  times  you  have  committed  every  sin  ;  for  instance,  how 
many  times  you  have  failed  to  assist  at  Mass  on  Sunday ;  how  many 
times  you  have  fallen  into  the  sin  of  impurity ;  how  many  times  you 
have  eaten  meat  on  days  of  abstinence.  Many  persons  do  not  know 
how  to  explain  themselves  as  to  this  point.  They  content  themselves 
with  simply  naming  the  sin;  and  when  the  confessor  asks  them  how 
often  they  committed  the  sin,  they  answer:  ^*- A  few  times. ^^  But 
what  does  that  mean?  Is  it  ten  or  twenty  times,  or  only  two  or  three 
times?  Is  it  a  frequent  habit,  or  only  some  rare  and  passing  fault? 
But  you  may  say  :  "  I  do  not  remember  any  more.'*  Have  you.  then, 
examined  your  conscience?  Have  you  searched  the  bottom  of  your 
heart?  I  can  understand  that  if  there  is  question  of  a  confession  cov- 
ering a  long  time,  and  especially  of  a  general  confession,  the  matter  is 
difficult.  In  those  cases,  it  is  good  to  find  out  how  long  the  habit  has 
lasted,  and  how  many  times  you  fell  each  day,  week,  or  month,  or 
about  how  many  times.  God,  who  is  merciful,  will  require  nothing 
more. 

2d.  You  must  name  the  different  kinds  of  your  sins.  There  are 
cases  where  by  one  single  action  several  commandments  are  trans- 
gressed. Thus,  if  you  steal  from  the  Church,  the  circumstance  of  the 
Church  makes  the  sin  a  double  one ;  a  sin  against  the  seventh  com- 
mandment which  forbids  theft,  and  a  sin  against  the  first  which  for- 
bids sacrilege.  It  changes  the  species.  You  ill-treat  a  father,  a 
mother ;  the  circumstance  of  relationship  makes  it  a  double  sin  ;  one 
against  the  fifth  commandment,  and  one  against  the  fourth  ;  it  changes 
the  species.  If  a  father  of  a  family  becomes  drunk,  and  his  children 
are  witnesses  of  his  intemperance,  he  sins  against  the  virtue  of  tem- 
perance and  against  the  fourth  commandment  which  obliges  parents 
to  give  good  example  to  their  children,  and  severely  forbids  them  to 
scandalize  them.  You  are  obliged  to  declare  such  circumstances  in 
your  confession. 
30 


466  FOURTH  PART.      XVII.   INSTRUCTION 

3d.  Finally,  you  must  declare  any  notably  aggravating  circum- 
stances^ that  is,  such  as  render  the  sin  much  greater  in  the  same 
species.  These  circumstances  are  seven  in  number  :  circumstances  of 
■person^  of  action,  of  place,  of  means  employed,  of  motives,  of  manner, 
and  of  time. 

Circumstance  of  person. —  If  you  have  stolen  anything,  was  it 
from  a  poor  or  rich  person?  If  you  have  spoken  injurious  language, 
how  many  persons  did  you  offend,  and  who  were  these  persons? 

Circumstance  of  action. —  This  relates  to  the  quantity,  the  matter, 
the  intention,  etc.  You  have  stolen  only  a  small  sum  of  money;  but 
had  you  not  the  intention  of  stealing  a  large  sum?  You  calumniated 
somebody;  but  was  it  in  a  grievous  or  a  slight  matter? 

Circumstance  of  place. —  Did  you  commit  indecent  actions,  did  you 
give  yourselves  up  to  anger,  in  a  sacred  place?  This  circumstance 
changes  the  sin  to  a  sacrilege. 

Circumstance  of  means. —  You  accuse  yourselves  of  being  revenge- 
ful. By  what  means  did  you  revenge  yourselves?  Was  it  through 
backbiting,  or  through  calumny,  or  through  bad  treatment?  You 
have  won  a  lawsuit  unjustly ;  but  was  it  by  employing  false  witnesses, 
or  by  false  signatures? 

Circumstance  of  motives.  —  You  have  calumniated  somebody ; 
but  was  it  through  revenge,  or  through  jealousy,  or  merely  in  idle 
talk? 

Circumstance  of  manner. —  You  have  struck  somebody;  but  how 
did  you  strike  him  or  wish  to  strike  him?  What  instruments  did  you 
employ?  And  did  you  do  so  without  premeditation,  or  with  full 
deliberation  ? 

Circumstance  of  time. —  You  nourished  a  hatred  against  somebody  ; 
but  how  long  did  that  hatred  last?  You  had  willful  distractions  dur- 
ing Mass,  during  prayer;  how  long  did  they  last? 

It  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  remember  all  these  details ;  it  takes  time 
and  reflection.  You  must  make  a  serious  examination  of  conscience. 
In  order  to  recall  your  faults  more  easily,  you  may  think  of  the  places 
where  you  have  been,  the  persons  with  whom  you  lived,  those  whom 
you  met  or  visited,  and  the  affairs  in  which  you  were  engaged.  You 
should  be  especially  careful  to  examine  yourselves  on  your  predomi- 
nant passion,  which  is  the  source  of  many  other  sins. 

II.  If  it  is  necessary  to  confess  all  mortal  sins  in  confession,  is  it 
also  necessary  to  confess  the  venial  sins? 


ON  CONFESSION 


467 


No,  my  brethren,  it  is  not  necessary,  because  venial  sins  do  not 
cause  us  to  lose  that  state  of  grace,  and,  besides,  there  are  other  means 
to  obtain  their  pardon,  such  as  acts  of  contrition  or  of  love  of  God, 
communion,  fasting,  alms-giving,  etc. 

But  it  is,  nevertheless,  often  wise  and  wholesome  to  confess  venial 
sins,  because  the  sacrament  of  penance  has  been  instituted  to  remit  all 
sins,  great  and  small,  and,  consequently,  confession  is  the  best  means 
to  purify  us  from  them. 

Another  reason  why  it  is  good  to  confess  venial  sins  is,  because  in 
accusing  yourselves  of  them,  you  learn  to  know  them;  and  because  the 
confessor  may  give  you  excellent  advice  to  aid  you  in  avoiding  them. 

It  is  often  prudent  to  confess  them,  because  it  is  sometimes  difficult 
to  distinguish  a  mortal  from  a  venial  sin.  The  greatest  theologians 
themselves  have  often  been  embarrassed  in  this  matter.  By  omitting 
a  grievous  sin  which  you  believed  to  be  only  a  venial  sin,  youNvould 
expose  yourself  to  make  a  bad  confession.  But  in  confessing  venial 
sins,  conceiving  a  sincere  sorrow  for  them,  and  forming  a  good  pur- 
pose of  amendment,  you  follow  the  surest  course. 

The  absolution  would  be  void  and  sacrilegious  if,  having  only 
venial  sins  to  confess,  you  had  no  contrition  for  any  of  them;  for,  then, 
there  would  be  no  sufficient  matter  for  the  sacrament.  Hence,  I  would 
advise  those  pious  persons,  who  hardly  ever  commit  grievous  sins,  to 
mind  this  observation  :  If  you  do  not  feel  true  contrition,  at  least  for 
some  of  your  venial  sins,  you  should  not  permit  the  confessor  to  give 
you  absolution ;  or  if  you  desire  to  receive  absolution,  you  should 
accuse  yourself  of  some  grievous  fault  of  your  past  life,  for  which 
you  have  true  contrition. 

III.  Does  the  omission  of  one  or  more  mortal  sins,  through  forget- 
fulness,  render  the  confession  null  and  sacrilegious?  No,  provided 
the  forgetfulness  is  not  voluntary,  and  that  the  examination  has  been 
sufficient,  the  confession  is  good,  and  all  your  sins,  whether  they  have 
been  mentioned  or  not,  are  alike  remitted.  You  need  not  even  accuse 
yourselves  if  you  remember  them  before  communion.  But  you  must 
include  them  in  your  next  confession,  if  they  come  to  your  mind.  But 
if  grievous  sins  are  forgotten  on  account  of  a  careless  examination,  or 
because  you  did  not  bring  to  confession  the  proper  preparation,  recol- 
lection, and  reflection,  the  case  is  quite  different,  and  a  confession  thus 
made  with  haste  and  levity  might  only  add  a  sacrilege  to  your  former 
sins,  and  put  you  under  the  obligation  to  repeat  the  confession. 


468 


FOURTH   PART.      XVII.   INSTRUCTION 


With  much  more  reason  would  you  be  obliged  to  do  this,  if  you 
have  hidden  one  of  your  sins  willfully  and  through  some  false  shame. 
In  this  case,  if  you  have  received  absolution,  you  have  committed  an 
abominable  crime,  and  the  remedy  which  was  expected  to  heal  you 
from  your  evils  has  been  changed  into  a  deadly  poison.  May  God 
preserve  you  from  such  a  misfortune !  It  would  be  thousands  of  times 
better  for  you  if  you  had  not  gone  to  confession  at  all.  However 
shameful,  however  horrible  your  sins  may  be,  do  not  be  afraid  to  con- 
fess them.  Your  confessor  is  a  gentle  father  and  a  compassionate 
friend  who  will  not  fail  to  receive  you  with  kindness  and  leniency. 
Do  not  say :  ^^But  I  am  afraid  that  my  confessor  will  scold  me.*^  No, 
a  confessor  never  scolds  in  such  a  case ;  on  the  contrary,  when  the 
penitent  is  already  confounded  with  the  sense  of  his  own  guilt,  the 
confessor  has  only  words  of  encouragement.  ^*  But  they  are  sins  into 
which  I  have  fallen  so  often.**  No  matter,  if  you  tell  him  that  you 
wish  to  correct  and  convert  yourselves,  you  will  see  that  he  will  limit 
himself  to  pointing  out  to  you  the  means  of  conversion,  and  exhorting 
you  to  perseverance  in  your  generous  resolution.  "  But  they  are  sins 
which  regard  the  confessor  himself ;  I  have  a  hatred  against  him,  I 
have  spoken  evil  against  him.**  But  you  need  not  say  that  you  have 
calumniated  him,  or  nourished  against  him  sentiments  of  hatred;  it  is 
sufficient  to  declare  that  you  have  spoken  ill  of  a  priest.  .  .  .  And 
even  if  you  did  tell  him  that  it  was  himself,  do  not  be  afraid ;  a  con- 
fessor, remembering  that  he  holds  the  place  of  Jesus  Christ,  easily  for- 
gets personal  offenses.  **  But  I  have  deceived  my  confessor  so  often ! 
I  have  concealed  from  him  my  sins  so  long !  **  Then  because  you 
have  deceived  your  confessor  for  so  long  a  time,  must  you  deceive 
him  still  longer;  must  you  deceive  him  always?  Besides,  if  you 
have  such  a  great  repugnance  to  confessing  shameful  faults  to  your 
ordinary  confessor,  nothing  prevents  you  from  going  to  another 
confessor.  The  essential  thing  is  that  you  make  your  confession, 
although  it  is  better  to  confess  to  the  same  priest  who  knows  the  state 
of  your  soul,  and  does  not  need  to  have  you  renew  your  confessions. 
But,  finally,  you  will  say:  ^*  I  shall  confess  it  later  on.'*  But  if  you 
must  do  it  some  day,  why  not  do  it  now?  Why  not  rid  yourselves  as 
soon  as  possible  of  those  remorses  which  rend  your  soul  and  make 
you  unfortunate?  Do  you  not  see  that  by  putting  it  off  you  render 
yourself  more  guilty?  And,  as  it  so  often  happens,  death  may  over- 
take you  in  your  sin ! 


ON   CONFESSION 


469 


May  God  preserve  you  from  false  shame!  When  you  go  to  confes- 
sion, be  afraid  of  only  one  thing,  namely,  not  to  know  yourselves 
sufficiently.  And  if,  unfortunately,  you  have  hidden  any  mortal  sin, 
do  not  remain  in  this  wretched  state ;  go  to  confession  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, make  a  sincere  avowal,  and  do  penance  for  all  your  sins.  You 
will  thereby  regain  your  peace  of  soul  and  the  grace  of  God,  and 
place  yourselves  again  in  the  road  which  leads  to  salvation,  a  blessing 
I  wish  to  you  with  all  my  heart.     Amen. 


XVIII.  INSTRUCTION 
On  Confession   (  Concluded) 

We  have  spoken  already  of  integrity,  the  first  quality  of  confes- 
sion, and  the  only  one  absolutely  necessary.  But,  in  order  that  it  may 
be  well  made,  and  that  it  may  produce  all  its  effects,  confession  should 
also  be  humble,  simple,  and  prudent. 

I.  Confession  must  be  humble.  This  humility  must  be  both  inte- 
rior and  exterior.  Interiorly,  the  sinner  should  regard  himself  as  a 
criminal  before  his  judge,  as  a  rebellious  subject  before  his  king,  as 
a  vile  creature  before  his  Creator.  This  kind  of  humility  hardly 
differs  from  contrition  or  interior  compunction.  The  motives  are  the 
same. 

Besides  this  humility  of  heart,  exterior  humility  of  the  body  is  also 
required,  ist.  Humility  in  dress.  The  dress  should  be  simple  and 
modest.  If  women  were  to  present  themselves  at  the  tribunal  of  pen- 
ance with  that  luxury  and  vanity  of  dress  which  rather  becomes  a 
worldly  festival  than  the  fulfillment  of  a  religious  duty,  they  would 
show  that  they  have  not  in  their  hearts  sentiments  of  true  contrition, 
and  that  they  do  not  understand  what  they  are  doing  when  they  come 
to  cast  themselves  at  the  feet  of  the  priest. 

2d.  Humility  in  behavior.  In  the  confessional  the  penitent  should 
be  kneeling,  with  hands  joined,  and  eyes  modestly  lowered.  The 
publican,  at  the  entrance  of  the  temple,  prostrated  himself  on  the 
ground,  striking  his   breast   and  crying  out :    ^^  Lord,  be  merciful  to 


47° 


FOURTH   PART.      XVIII.    INSTRUCTION 


me,  a  sinner.*^  Let  him  serve  here  as  the  model  of  a  truly  humble 
penitent. 

3d.  Humility  in  language.  Do  not  speak  of  your  good  qualities, 
nor  of  your  virtues,  nor  of  your  good  works,  as  the  Pharisee  in  the 
Gospel  did.  Why  do  you  come  to  confession  except  to  tell  your  mis- 
eries to  your  confessor  and  to  receive  his  charitable  advice? 

A  very  common  fault  in  confession,  one  which  is  opposed  to  humil- 
ity, and  which  it  is  well  to  mention  here,  is  the  deplorable  habit  which 
certain  persons  have  of  always  excusing  their  sins  and  throwing  the 
blame  on  some  one  else.  *^  I  accuse  myself,**  says  this  woman,  ^^  of 
having  become  angry;  but  my  husband  was  the  cause  of  it.**  The 
husband  comes,  in  his  turn,  and  says  :  ^^  I  was  angry;  but  my  wife  was 
the  cause.**  "Father,**  says  the  drunkard,  "I  was  intoxicated;  but 
my  companions  made  me  drink  too  much.**  "Father,**  says  another, 
"I  bear  a  hatred  against  that  person,  we  do  not  speak  to  one  another; 
but  I  have  done  nothing  to  him,  whilst  he  never  ceases  to  wrong  me 
and  to  speak  ill  of  me.**  I  ask  you  whether  this  is  confessing  with 
humility?  When  you  come  to  the  sacred  tribunal,  is  it  to  accuse 
others  or  to  accuse  yourself?* 

You  must  never  excuse  yourselves  in  the  confessional  at  the 
expense  of  others.  Tell  your  own  faults,  such  as  you  know  them,  and 
go  no  further. 

II.  Confession  must  be  simple.  It  must  be  simple  in  omitting  all 
useless  details,  and  simple  in  declaring  your  sins  as  you  know  them, 
without  exaggerating  nor  diminishing  them.  Cut  short  all  those  long 
details,  those  stories  which  only  tax  the  patience  of  the  confessor  and 
of  the  persons  waiting  for  their  turn.  Without  speaking  either  of 
your  troubles,  or  of  your  embarrassments,  or  of  anything  that  does 
not  belong  to  the  confessional,  declare  your  sins  simply  by  saying : 
Father,  I  accuse  myself  of  having  neglected  my  prayers  {^how  often), 
of  having  lied  {hovj  often').,  etc.  If  it  happens  that  you  have  to  ask 
the  advice  of  your  confessor,  or  to  tell  him  of  certain  troubles,  do  this 
only  after  confession;  or,  rather,  choose  some  day  when  there  are  not 
many  persons  at  the  confessional. 


♦Listen  to  how  a  confessor  once  corrected  a  woman  who  confessed  all  the  evil  she  knew  of 
her  husband,  but  who  said  not  a  word  of  her  own  faults.  "  For  your  sins,"  said  the  confessor, 
*  you  will  say  one  Hail  Mary,  and  for  those  of  your  husband  you  will  fast  every  day  for  one 
month. »  «  But,  father,  do  you  expect  me  to  do  penance  for  the  sins  of  my  husband  ?  •  •  Well," 
answered  the  confessor,  «  why  did  you  mention  them?  » 


ON   CONFESSION 


471 


You  must  declare  your  sins  just  as  you  know  them,  without  increas- 
ing or  diminishing  them.  To  accuse  yourselves  of  more  faults  than 
you  have  committed  would  be  telling  a  lie ;  it  would  be  committing 
another  sin.  Not  to  tell  all  the  sins  you  have  committed  would  be 
failing  in  the  integrity  of  confession,  and  you  would  expose  yourself 
to  the  danger  of  making  a  null  or  a  sacrilegious  confession.  There 
are  persons  who  would  not  like  to  deceive  a  confessor,  but  who  tell 
their  faults  and  palliate  them  in  such  a  manner  that  the  confessor  is 
tempted  to  believe  them  innocent,  although  sometimes  they  are  exceed- 
ingly guilty.  This  disguise  and  this  studied  manner  of  accusation  do 
not  agree  at  all  with  that  simplicity,  that  candor,  and  that  good  faith 
which  everyone  should  bring  to  the  sacred  tribunal  of  penance.  With 
much  more  reason  would  you  fail  in  simplicity  if,  having  grievous 
faults  to  confess,  you  should  go  now  to  one  confessor  and  then  to  an- 
other by  whom  you  are  not  known,  keeping  for  your  ordinary  confes- 
sor only  slight  faults.  If  it  were  a  question  of  rare  sins,  and  if  you 
should  tell  them  all  clearly  and  distinctly  to  the  new  confessor,  all 
would  be  well.  But  when  there  is  question  of  inveterate  habits,  when 
you  accuse  yourselves  with  bad  faith  and  with  the  intention  of  deceiv- 
ing the  confessor  about  the  state  of  your  conscience,  it  is  quite  a  differ- 
ent thing,  and  I  would  advise  those  penitents  to  make  their  confessions 
over  again  and  to  repair  the  sacrilege  which  they  may  have  committed. 
There  may  be,  at  times,  legitimate  reasons  for  going  to  an  extraordinary 
confessor ;  but  to  change  confessors  because  your  ordinary  confessor 
makes  you  submit  to  some  trials  before  admitting  you  to  the  sac- 
raments, or  because  it  is  his  duty  to  give  you  some  wholesome  advice, 
to  oblige  you  to  avoid  certain  occasions  of  sin,  to  make  restitution, 
or  to  correct  yourselves  of  some  bad  habit,  is  a  condemnable  frivolity, 
and  I  am  much  afraid  that  it  is  not  the  spirit  of  God  or  a  sincere 
desire  of  your  salvation  that  moves  you  to  look  for  another  confessor. 
Young  men  or  young  women  commence  to  frequent  bad  company,  to 
practice  vice;  behold  them  keeping  away  from  the  confessor  who 
knows  them,  and  looking  for  another  who  does  not  know  them,  imag- 
ining that  the  latter  will  be  more  tolerant,  or  that  he  will  say  nothing. 
A  confessor  who  will  say  nothing!  Do  you  believe  that  a  confessor 
would  damn  himself  for  the  pleasure  of  gaining  your  confidence?  Or 
do  you  imagine  that  each  confessor  has  his  own  weight  and  measure, 
each  his  own  particular  standard  of  morals?  No,  my  brethren,  the 
principles  are  the  same  for  all ;  and  if  the  confessor  is  deceived,  it  is 


472 


FOURTH  PART.      XVIII.   INSTRUCTION 


you  who  deceive  him,  as  if  you  believed  that  in  deceiving  men,  you 
could  deceive  God  Himself. 

III.  Confession  must  be  prudent;  prudent  in  the  w^ords  used,  pru- 
dent in  regard  to  the  sins  of  others,  prudent  as  to  the  advice  given  by 
the.  confessor. 

1st.  Confession  must  be  prudent  in  the  words  used.  In  confessing 
oaths,  curses,  or  blasphemies,  it  is  not  necessary  to  repeat  the  odious 
words,  but  it  is  sufficient  to  tell  the  first  letter  or  the  first  syllable  of 
the  word,  or  to  declare  in  general  that  you  have  blasphemed  the  holy 
name  of  God,  etc.  When  there  is  question  of  sins  against  modesty, 
you  must  choose  the  most  reserved  expressions,  without,  however, 
disguising  anything.  As  everything  is  grievous  in  this  matter,  you 
must  specify  the  faults,  and  explain  whether  they  were  immodest 
thoughts,  or  desires,  or  actions,  and  what  actions ;  but  always  in  well- 
chosen  terms. 

2d.  Confession  must  be  prudent  in  regard  to  the  sins  of  others. 
In  your  confessions  you  must  never  reveal  the  sins  of  others,  except 
in  case  of  absolute  necessity ;  for  detraction  is  no  more  permitted  in 
the  confessional  than  elsewhere.  When  you  are  obliged  to  name  the 
sins  of  others,  in  order  to  make  known  the  kind  of  sin  you  have  com- 
mitted, or  the  danger  in  which  you  find  yourselves,  you  must  even 
then  make  use  of  all  possible  reserve,  and  limit  yourselves  to  telling 
whether  the  accomplice  —  who  must  never  be  named  —  is  married 
or  not,  is  a  relative  or  not,  and  whether  or  not  you  live  in  the  same 
house. 

Here  a  question  of  great  importance  offers  itself.  If  you  have 
overheard  something  of  another's  confession,  would  it  be  allowed  to 
repeat  to  others  what  you  heard?  Certainly  not,  you  would  commit 
a  sin  if  you  should  do  so.  You  must  not  only  not  repeat  what  you 
have  heard,  but  you  must  not  listen  to  others  telling  what  they  heard 
of  another's  confession,  nor  should  you  try  to  hear  anything  at  the 
confessional.  When  there  is  a  crowd  about  the  confessional,  or  when 
the  confessor  or  penitent  is  obliged,  for  some  reason  or  other,  to  speak 
loud,  you  must  keep  at  a  distance,  if  possible,  or  so  manage  as  to  hear 
nothing.  All  that  passes  in  confession  is  sacred  and  obliges  everyone 
to  secrecy. 

3d.  Confession  must  be  prudent  relatively  to  the  advice  given  by 
the  confessor.  You  are  bound  to  secrecy  in  regard  to  the  advice  which 
your  confessor  gives  you.     You  cannot  speak  of  it  to  others,  except  to 


ON   CONFESSION  ^-- 

serve  for  their  edification.  Your  sin  would  be  greater  or  less,  accord- 
ing as  the  indiscretion  would  be  of  a  nature  to  compromise  either  con- 
fession or  the  confessor.  If  the  confessor  is  bound,  under  pain  of 
mortal  sin,  to  absolute  secrecy  as  to  all  the  confidences  which  you 
intrust  to  him,  why  should  you  not  be  bound  to  secrecy  in  regard  to 
the  observations  which  he  makes  to  you,  and  to  the  counsels  which  he 
gives  to  you?  This  is  especially  true  when  there  is  question  of  deli- 
cate matters  in  which  the  least  imprudence  might  give  occasion  to 
criticism  and  blasphemy.  Those  persons  are  very  blameworthy  who 
have  the  habit  of  speaking  about  confession  and  confessors.  "My 
confessor  is  very  good  and  easy."  "  My  confessor  is  strict."  "  What 
did  your  confessor  say.?  "  "What  penance  did  he  give  you?"  Such 
conversation  is  entirely  out  of  place,  and  may  give  rise  to  harsh  and 
unjust  criticisms. 

Make  it  a  rule  never  to  make  confession  the  subject  of  your  con- 
versation. If  sometimes  you  mention  confession  or  the  confessor,  let 
it  be  done  only  with  the  view  to  edify,  and  with  all  reserve  and 
respect,  being  most  careful  not  to  mention  anything,  either  of  the 
counsels  or  of  the  prohibitions  that  were  given  to  you,  or  even  of  the 
penance  that  was  imposed  on  you. 

IV.  These  are,  therefore,  the  four  qualities  which  confession  must 
have.  It  must  be  entire,  humble,  simple,  and  prudent.  What  de- 
fects do  you  not  find,  perhaps,  in  your  confessions?  Pay  attention  to 
them;  for  to  what  good  would  all  your  confessions  be,  if  you  did  not 
make  them  with  the  required  conditions?  Confession  is  a  sure  and 
efficacious  means  which  God  in  His  mercy  has  given  us  for  our  sancti- 
fication.  If  you  make  a  good  and  holy  use  of  the  sacrament  of  pen- 
ance, there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  you  will  be  saved.  But,  on 
the  contrary,  you  would  convert  a  remedy  into  a  poison,  and  you 
would  run  great  risk  of  damnation,  if  you  did  not  bring  to  confession 
the  necessary  dispositions. 

V.  How  is  confession  to  be  made?  After  having  made  the  sign  of 
the  cross,  you  say  :  "  Bless  me,  father,  for  I  hav^e  sinned."  Then  recite 
the  Confiteor  up  to  the  words,  "  Through  my  fault."  Tell  the  time  you 
made  your  last  confession,  and  whether  you  said  the  penance.  Then 
tell  the  sins  you  may  have  forgotten  in  your  last  confession.  After 
this,  you  accuse  yourselves  of  the  new  faults  which  you  may  have  com- 
mitted, being  careful  to  specify  their  number  and  circumstances,  and 
then   add  :    "  Father,  this  is  all  I  remember,  but  I  accuse   myself  in 


474 


FOURTH  PART.      XIX.   INSTRUCTION 


general  of  all  the  sins  I  may  have  forgotten,  as  well  as  of  those  of  my 
past  life ;  I  ask  pardon  of  God,  and  of  you,  father,  penance  and 
absolution**;  then  listen  attentively  and  respectfully  to  the  advice 
which  your  confessor  gives  you,  and  avoid  interrupting  him.  Receive 
with  submission  the  penance  which  the  priest  imposes  upon  you ;  and 
when  he  gives  you  absolution,  bow  down  your  head  and  say  the  act  of 
contrition  {in  such  a  manner  that  the  confessor  can  hear  you)  from  the 
bottom  of  your  heart,  and  with  sentiments  of  humility  and  compunc- 
tion. Having  left  the  confessional,  kneel  before  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment and  thank  God  for  the  graces  which  He  has  granted  you,  recall 
to  your  mind  the  advice  that  was  given  to  you,  and  renew  the  resolu- 
tions which  you  have  taken.  Perform  your  penance  immediately,  if 
you  have  time  to  do  so,  or  if  it  should  be  performed  at  that  time,  and 
then  withdraw  with  recollection  and  modesty. 

If  you  faithfully  practice  all  that  I  have  told  you  in  this  instruction, 
you  will  make  worthy  and  holy  confessions,  and  the  sacrament  of 
penance  will  turn  you  away  from  evil,  lead  you  to  do  good,  and  con- 
firm you  in  the  way  of  life.  You  will  make  constant  progress  in  vir- 
tue, and  you  will  receive  the  reward  promised  to  the  pure  of  heart. 
Amen. 


XIX.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Satisfaction 

I.  By  satisfaction,  we  understand,  in  general,  the  repairing  of  the 
outrage  or  of  the  wrong  one  has  done  to  another. 

We  will  consider  satisfaction  in  regard  to  God  and  satisfaction  in 
regard  to  our  neighbor.  Satisfaction  to  God  consists  in  prayers  or 
good  works  performed  willingly,  or  imposed  by  the  priest  in  the  sac- 
rament of  penance,  for  the  punishment  due  to  sin. 

Satisfaction  to  our  neighbor  is  the  reparation  of  the  damage  one  has 
caused  him  in  his  person,  in  his  goods,  or  in  his  honor. 

I  have  already  spoken  of  the  necessity  of  repairing  the  wrong 
which  one  may  have  caused  to  his  neighbor  in  the  explanation  of  the 
fifth,  seventh,  and  eighth  commandments.     Let  it  suffice  to  say  that. 


ON   SATISFACTION  ^-e 

in  order  to  obtain  pardon  in  the  sacrament  of  penance,  it  is  necessary 
to  have,  at  least,  the  intention  of  rendering  satisfaction  to  one's  neigh- 
bor as  soon  as  possible,  and  as  well  as  one  is  able ;  otherwise,  if  the 
matter  is  grievous,  one  would  sin  against  justice  or  charity,  and  would 
be  unworthy  of  absolution. 

In  this  instruction  we  shall  consider  satisfaction  as  the  reparation 
of  the  injury  which  we  have  committed  against  God  by  sin,  and  which, 
taken  in  this  sense,  constitutes  one  of  the  three  acts  of  the  penitent 
which  the  holy  Council  of  Trent  declared  to  be  the  matter  of  the  sac- 
rament of  penance,  essential  to  our  reconciliation  in  this  sacrament. 

IT.  The  sacrament  of  penance,  in  remitting  our  sins,  does  not 
always  remit  the  entire  punishment  due  to  sin.  In  sin  there  are  two 
things  :  the  guilty  that  is,  the  offense  against  God,  and  the  punishment 
which  the  sin  merits  for  us.  In  other  words,  sin  first  makes  us  lose 
sanctifying  grace,  and,  secondly,  renders  us  deserving  of  the  eternal 
flames.  In  order  to  restore  himself  to  the  state  of  grace  in  wTiich  he 
was  before  sin,  the  sinner  has  two  things  to  do;  first,  to  reconcile 
himself  with  God,  and,  second,  to  expiate  the  punishment  which  his 
sin  has  deserved.  By  virtue  of  the  sacrament  of  penance,  the  sinner 
may  obtain  his  perfect  reconciliation  with  God.  But  the  punishment 
due  to  sin  is  remitted  only  in  part ;  the  eternal  punishment  which  he 
had  deserved  is  commuted  to  a  temporal  punishment.  If  he  should 
happen  to  die  in  this  state,  he  would  not,  indeed,  be  damned,  but 
before  entering  into  heaven  he  would  have  to  undergo  punishment 
in  purgatory.  Therefore,  after  you  have  obtained  your  pardon  in  the 
sacrament  of  penance,  there  remains  for  you,  at  least  ordinarily^  a 
punishment  to  undergo,  either  in  this  world  or  in  the  next.  I  say 
ordinarily ,  because  it  might  happen  that  your  contrition  is  sufficient 
to  acquit  you  altogether  before  the  justice  of  God.  A  sovereignly 
perfect  love,  or  a  perfect  contrition,  effaces  all  our  faults  without 
obliging  us  to  undergo  any  temporal  punishment.  But  perfect  love 
and  perfect  contrition  are  rare.  As  a  general  rule,  there  remains 
some  temporal  punishment  after  the  sin  has  been  forgiven.  This  has 
been  decided  by  the  Council  of  Trent,  and  an  anathema  has  been 
declared  against  any  one  who  dares  to  maintain  the  contrary. 

III.  But  why  does  the  all-merciful  God,  in  remitting  our  sins  in 
the  sacrament  of  penance,  not  remit,  at  the  same  time,  all  the  punish- 
ment due  to  sin  ;  and  why  is  it  not  with  the  sacrament  of  penance  as 
with    that   of  baptism,   which    leaves    nothing   in   the   soul    that  can 


476 


FOURTH   PART.      XIX.    INSTRUCTION 


hinder  it  from  entering  immediately  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven? 
The  reason  of  this,  my  brethren,  is  that  God  desires  the  life  of  a 
Christian  to  be  a  life  of  mortification  and  penance,  and,  moreover,  the 
practice  of  penance  is  a  means  sovereignly  efficacious  in  subduing  our 
passions,  preserving  us  from  vice,  and  maintaining  us  in  the  practice 
of  virtue. 

If  we  consult  the  Old  Testament  we  shall  see  that  God,  in  pardon- 
ing the  sins  of  men,  afflicted  them  with  some  punishment.  Adam  and 
Eve  were  pardoned  for  their  sin,  as  is  commonly  believed,  and  still 
they  were  condemned  to  a  life  of  labor  and  suffering.  Moses,  that 
great  servant  of  God,  was  pardoned  for  his  disobedience,  and  still  he 
was  forbidden  to  enter  the  Promised  Land.  David  was  admonished 
by  the  prophet  Nathan  that  God  had  forgiven  his  sin,  but  that,  in  pun- 
ishment for  it,  his  son  was  to  die. 

And,  under  the  New  Law,  the  law  of  grace,  the  saints  always 
practiced  penance,  and  often  the  most  austere  penance.  Consider  the 
mortifications  and  penances  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Mary  Magdalen  after 
the  remission  of  their  sins!  What  severe  punishments  did  not  the 
anchorites  in  the  desert  impose  upon  themselves!  And  to-day,  to 
what  privations  and  sacrifices  do  not  religious  men  and  women  in 
cloisters,  and  so  many  fervent  Christians  in  the  world,  condemn  them- 
selves ! 

Protestants  deny  the  necessity  of  penance,  saying  that  Jesus  Christ, 
in  dying  for  us,  has  sufficiently  satisfied  for  our  sins.  But  they  have 
to  repudiate  the  examples  of  all  the  saints,  the  teaching  of  the  Church, 
and  the  spirit  of  the  Christian  religion,  which  is  essentially  a  religion 
of  mortification  and  penance.  Undoubtedly,  Jesus  Christ  has  satisfied 
for  us,  but  He  has  left  it  to  us  to  apply  to  ourselves  the  merits  of  His 
passion  by  our  mortifications  and  our  good  works. 

IV.  It  is,  therefore,  an  established  truth  that,  after  the  remission  of 
our  sins,  there  remains  for  us  a  punishment  to  undergo,  either  in  this 
world  or  in  purgatory.  But  how  can  we  expiate  this  punishment,  or, 
in  other  words,  how  can  we  render  the  satisfaction  which  God  requires 
of  us?  We  can  do  this  in  three  ways:  ist.  By  voluntary  works  of 
penance  ;  2d.  By  bearing  the  crosses  and  afflictions  which  God  sends 
to  us ;  3d.  By  performing  the  penance  which  our  confessor  imposes 
upon  us. 

1st.  Voluntary  works  are  of  three  kinds :  prayer,  fasting,  and 
almsgiving. 


ON   SATISFACTION 


477 


By  prayer,  we  understand  all  vocal  or  mental  prayer,  assistance  at 
divine  service,  pious  readings,  visits  to  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  holy 
aspirations  to  God,  the  Way  of  the  Cross,  etc.  If  all  these  practices  are 
done  in  a  spirit  of  penance,  and  offered  up  in  expiation  of  our  sins, 
they  are  accepted  by  God  as  an  excellent  satisfaction.  Thereby  we 
satisfy  particularly  for  the  sins  committed  against  piety  and  the  respect 
due  to  God. 

Fasting  comprises  all  curtailment  of  nourishment,  privations  of 
even  permitted  pleasures,  macerations  of  our  body,  mortification  of  the 
passions,  and,  in  general,  of  all  the  senses,  such  as  the  eyes,  ears,  and 
tongue.  By  that  penance  we  satisfy,  especially,  for  our  sins  of  sensu- 
ality. 

Alms-giving  comprises  all  the  corporal  and  spiritual  works  of 
mercy,  such  as  the  assistance  of  the  poor,  the  care  of  the  sick,  the  in- 
struction of  the  ignorant.  Thereby  we  satisfy,  especially,  for  the  sins 
committed  by  a  too  great  attachment  to  the  goods  of  this  world. 

2d.  By  our  daily  sufferings.  ...  In  this  world  we  are  ex- 
posed to  many  trials  and  many  sufferings.  Such  is  the  order  of  Prov- 
idence, and  nobody  is  exempted  from  these  daily  afflictions.  They  are 
an  excellent  means  of  satisfying  God  for  our  sins.  Accept  all  these 
punishments,  all  these  tribulations,  with  resignation  and  patience, 
bear  them  in  union  with  Jesus  Christ,  and  you  shall  acquire  treasures 
of  merits.  It  is  the  same  with  the  work  you  are  doing  every  day ;  it 
serves  to  expiate  your  sins  and  increases  your  merits  if  you  have  no 
other  end  but  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  your  soul.  St. 
Theresa  said  that  one  day  passed  in  patience  and  resignation  is  worth 
as  much  as  forty  days  of  fasting  on  bread  and  water.  But,  alas!  is  it 
with  these  sentiments  of  submission  to  God  that  you  suffer  and  labor? 
You  suffer,  because  you  have  to  suffer ;  you  labor,  because  you  have  to 
labor,  and  you  often  complain  of  everything  that  inconveniences  and 
crosses  you,  without  thinking  for  a  moment  that  it  is  God  who  con- 
demns you  to  this.  If  you  do  not  labor  and  suffer  for  God,  of  what 
use  will  be  all  your  fatigues  and  sufferings,  except  to  render  you  more 
guilty  and  to  increase  your  debts  to  the  divine  justice? 

3d.  But  of  all  the  means  of  penance,  the  most  efficacious  and  most 
meritorious  is  the  penance  which  the  confessor  imposes  upon  you.  In 
fact,  this  penance  constitutes  the  "  satisfaction,'*  which  is  the  third 
part  of  the  sacrament  of  penance.  The  other  works  of  penance  pro- 
duce grace  only  on  account  of  the  dispositions  of  the  one  who  performs 


478 


FOURTH   PART.      XIX.    INSTRUCTION 


them,  but  the  sacramental  penance  produces  grace  through  itself,  and 
without  any  exterior  help.  ; 

V.  The  confessor  is  bound  to  impose  a  penance  upon  each  penitent, 
otherwise  he  would  fail  grievously  in  his  duty,  except  the  omission 
should  be  through  involuntary  forgetfulness.  Since  satisfaction  is  an 
essential  part  of  the  sacrament  of  penance,  would  it  not  be  mutilating 
the  sacrament  and,  consequently,  profaning  it,  if  the  satisfaction  were 
omitted?  The  confessor  in  the  sacred  tribunal  of  penance  exercises 
the  functions  of  judge  and  physician.  Now,  must  not  the  judge  inflict 
a  punishment  upon  everyone  accused  whom  he  finds  guilty ;  and  must 
not  a  physician  prescribe  a  remedy  to  a  sick  person  whom  he  believes 
to  be  in  need  of  it  ? 

What  kind  of  penance  should  a  wise  confessor  impose?  The  holy 
Council  of  Trent  answers  that  he  must  impose  penances  which  are 
becomings  salutary^  and  proportionate  to  the  quality  of  the  sins  and 
to  the  nature  of  the  penitent.  Hence,  the  confessor  must  impose  pen- 
ances more  or  less  great,  according  to  the  number  and  enormity  of  the 
sins.  Of  course,  he  must  consider  the  situation  of  each  one  ;  his  occu- 
pation, his  instruction,  and  his  temperament.  But  the  penance  must 
be  serious  and  proportionate  to  the  sins  committed.  They  should 
even  be  specific  and  medicinal^  and  in  direct  opposition  to  the  vices 
of  the  penitent.  Practices  of  humility  are  opposed  to  pride,  alms- 
giving to  avarice,  mortification  to  luxury  and  intemperance.  Then 
a  well-chosen  penance  ought  to  produce  a  double  effect :  to  punish 
for  past  sins,  and  to  preserve  from  future  sins. 

VI.  If  time  permitted,  I  would  need  go  only  through  the  history 
of  the  penances  which  the  Church  imposed  in  the  first  centuries,  in 
order  to  give  you  an  idea  of  what  sacramental  penance  ought  to  be  ; 
for  the  Church,  being  infallible  in  her  discipline,  as  well  as  in  her 
dogma,  we  must  believe  that  her  canonical  penances  were  perfectly 
proportionate  to  the  sins  committed.  These  penances  were  of  two 
kinds  :  public  penances,  imposed  only  for  public  sins ;  and  secret  pen- 
ances, imposed  for  secret  sins. 

When  a  public  sinner,  guilty  of  some  great  crime,  such  as  adultery 
or  homicide,  desired  absolution,  he  was  condemned  to  four  trials  or 
degrees.  The  first  degree  consisted  in  standing  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Church,  in  a  supplicating  posture,  and  recommending  oneself  to 
the  prayers  of  the  faithful  who  entered ;  these  were  the  weepers. 
The  second  degree  consisted  in  stopping  at  the  door  of  the  Church 


ON   SATISFACTION  ,-g 

and  listening  to  the  instructions,  after  which  they  were  obliged  to 
leave  the  Church  ;  these  were  called  the  hearers.  The  third  degree 
consisted  in  prostrating  oneself  on  the  ground,  during  the  prayers 
which  the  bishop,  the  clergy,  and  the  faithful,  made  for  the  sinners, 
from  the  beginning  of  Mass  until  to  the  Gospel,  after  which  they 
were  also  excluded  from  the  Church  ;  these  were  the  kneelers.  The 
fourth  degree  consisted  in  being  deprived  of  the  sacraments,  although 
they  could  assist  at  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  until  they  had  completed 
the  course  of  penance ;  these  were  the  assistants. 

Each  of  these  trials  lasted  two  or  three  years  or  more,  according  to 
the  enormity  of  the  crimes  committed.  During  the  first  two  trials  no 
special  penitential  works  or  particular  prayers  were  imposed,  because 
these  two  degrees  were  only  a  preparation  for  the  public  penance  ;  but, 
during  the  last  two  degrees,  all  amusements  were  forbidden  to  the  sin- 
ner, and  prayers,  fasting,  and  alms-giving  were  prescribed  in  propor- 
tion to  the  grievousness  of  the  sin.  Such  was  the  discipline  of  the 
public  penances. 

The  secret  penances  were  also  graduated  according  to  the  grievous- 
ness of  the  sin.  Thus,  talking  in  Church  was  punished  with  ten  days 
of  fasting  on  bread  and  water  ;  a  non-observance  of  a  fast,  with  twenty 
days  on  bread  and  water;  cursing  one's  parents,  with  forty  days; 
ridiculing  the  advice  of  a  pastor,  with  forty  days ;  the  crime  of  for- 
nication, with  one  year  of  penance ;  adultery,  with  three  years  and 
sometimes  more  ;    deliberate  homicide,  with  twenty  years. 

These  penances  which  the  ancient  canons  imposed  appear  rigorous, 
but  how  well  calculated  were  they  to  make  known  the  enormity  of  the 
crime  and  to  preserve  from  a  relapse!  And  was  it  not  better  to  do 
penance  in  this  world  than  to  be  obliged  to  suffer  in  purgatory? 

To-day  disorders  having  increased,  and  sins  having  multiplied,  and 
faith  having  become  weakened,  the  Church,  out  of  regard  for  the 
weakness  of  her  children,  is  obliged  to  be  more  lenient  with  sinners. 
She  believes  that  it  is  better  to  send  sinners  to  purgatory  than  to  let 
them  fall  into  hell ;  but  although  her  discipline  has  changed,  her  spirit 
is  always  the  same  ;  the  temporal  punishment  which  you  have  to  un- 
dergo for  your  sins  does  not  change,  and  if  you  do  not  do  penance  in 
this  world,  you  have  to  do  it  in  the  next.  Do  not  imagine  that  you 
have  satisfied  for  your  sins  by  performing  the  very  lenient  penances 
which  confessors  impose  upon  you  to-day  in  the  sacrament  of  penance. 
What  are  a  few  prayers  and  a   little  pious  reading,  or  a  few  slight 


48o 


FOURTH   PART.      XIX.    INSTRUCTION 


mortifications,  in  comparison  with  the  number  and  enormity  of  your 
sins  ?  Remember  that  confessors  are  always  careful  to  add  that  they 
^^  leave  the  rest  to  your  devotion,"  so  as  to  make  you  understand  that  it 
belongs  to  you  to  supplement  the  sacramental  penance  by  voluntary 
prayer  and  mortification. 

A  penitent  is  rigorously  bound  to  fulfill  the  penance  imposed  upon 
him  in  confession.  The  penance  is  an  essential  part  of  the  sacrament, 
and  the  obligation  of  performing  it  is  so  great  that  the  confessor  could 
not  give  you  absolution  if  you  refused  to  accept  the  penance.  If  it  is 
impossible  for  you  to  perform  the  penance  imposed,  you  ought  to  in- 
form your  confessor,  who  certainly  will  be  very  willing  to  change  it. 
Be  faithful  and  exact  in  performing  the  penance  imposed  upon  you  in 
confession.  But  how  often  is  it  not  omitted,  or  performed  badly! 
You  commit  a  sin  every  time  you  neglect  your  penance,  and  the  sin  is 
in  proportion  to  the  grievousness  of  the  sin  confessed. 

How  should  the  sacramental  penance  be  performed.''  It  should  be 
performed  entirely,  in  the  appointed  time,  with  attention  and  devo- 
tion. 

I  St.  Entirely. — You  are  not  permitted  to  omit  the  least  part  of  it ; 
you  cannot  even  change  anything  of  what  has  been  prescribed  to  you. 
If  you  should  happen  to  forget  it,  you  must  ask  the  confessor  to  tell 
you  the  penance  again,  or  to  give  you  another. 

2d.  In  the  Time  Appointed. —  If  the  penance  lasts  fourteen  days, 
you  must  perform  it  for  fourteen  days ;  if  it  lasts  until  your  next  con- 
fession, you  must  continue  it  until  the  next  confession.  If  the  confes- 
sor has  prescribed  to  you  a  certain  prayer  for  the  moment  of  rising,  or 
of  going  to  bed,  or  of  temptation,  you  must  be  faithful  in  saying  it. 
If  no  particular  time  is  appointed  for  the  penance,  you  ought  to  per- 
form it  as  soon  as  possible. 

3d.  With  Attention  and  Devotion. —  To  act  otherwise  would  not 
be  satisfying  for  your  sins.  If  the  penance  is  a  prayer,  say  it  on  your 
knees,  and  pronounce  the  words  carefully ;  if  it  is  some  pious  reading, 
it  is  not  necessary  to  pronounce  the  words  aloud. 

You  have  heard,  my  brethren,  in  what  satisfaction  consists;  of  the 
obligation  to  render  satisfaction  to  the  divine  justice  either  in  this 
world  or  in  the  next,  and  of  the  means  which  God  in  His  infinite 
mercy  has  given  us  for  this  purpose.  You  have  seen  how  great  were 
the  penances  which  the  Church  formerly  imposed  upon  sinners,  and 
with  what  zeal  the  saints  practiced  mortification  and  penance.     Have 


ON  INDULGENCES 


481 


the  same  courage,  the  same  spirit  of  penance  and  sacrifice ;  you,  espe- 
cially, sinners,  who  may  have  great  crimes  to  expiate.  Prayer,  fasting, 
alms-giving,  and  sacramental  penance  are  the  means  of  satisfaction, 
but,  especially,  the  sacramental  penance.  Remember  that  you  are  the 
disciples  of  a  God  whose  life  was  a  continual  cross  and  martyrdom, 
and  that  there  is  no  other  road  to  heaven  but  that  of  Calvary.  St. 
John  of  the  Cross,  who,  during  his  whole  life,  was  a  model  of  penance, 
cried  out  at  the  hour  of  death :  "  O  penances,  austerities,  sacrifices, 
and  mortifications,  what  a  joy  and  happiness  do  you  cause  me  now!  '* 
May  these  sentiments  be  yours !  May  you  all  at  the  hour  of  death 
have  expiated  all  your  debts  to  the  divine  justice,  and  merit,  by  your 
mortification  and  penance,  to  enter  immediately  into  the  heaven  of 
peace  and  happiness.     Amen. 


XX.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Indulgences 

I.  In  the  preceding  instruction  I  told  how  after  our  sins  have 
been  remitted  in  the  sacrament  of  penance,  there  generally  remains  a 
punishment  to  undergo  either  in  this  world  or  in  the  next;  and  I  gave 
you  an  idea  of  what  this  punishment  would  be  by  telling  you  of  the 
canonical  penances  which  the  Church  formerly  imposed.  I  have  added 
that  we  satisfy  this  penance  in  three  ways:  by  voluntary  works,  by 
the  daily  afflictions  which  God  sends  us,  provided  we  accept  them 
with  patience  and  resignation,  and,  especially,  by  sacramental  penance. 
These  three  means,  my  brethren,  are  most  efficacious  in  acquitting 
ourselves  of  our  debts  to  the  justice  of  God.  However,  it  is  easy 
to  understand  that  in  many  cases  they  are  insufficient,  either  on 
account  of  our  weakness  and  our  laxity  in  doing  good,  or  on  account 
of  the  number  and  grievousness  of  our  sins,  or  on  account  of  the  sud- 
denness of  death  which  often  does  not  allow  us  sufficient  time  to  do 
penance. 

To  supply  the  defect  of  all  these  means,  and  to  put  us  in  the  state 
to  expiate  this  punishment  entirely,  even  in  this  world,  in  order  that 
31 


482 


FOURTH   PART.      XX.   INSTRUCTION 


at  our  death  there  may  be  nothing  that  can  hinder  us  from  entering 
heaven,  what  has  the  Church,  like  a  good  and  tender  mother,  done 
for  us?  She  has  opened  to  us  the  treasury  of  indulgences,  by  apply- 
ing to  us  the  superabundant  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  and  of  the  Saints,  and  in  enabling  us  to  acquit  our  debt  by 
means  of  all  these  merits. 

II.  To  understand  this  point  of  doctrine,  we  must  consider:  ist. 
That  Jesus  Christ  has  done  and  suffered  beyond  what  was  necessary 
to  redeem  us.  This  superabundance  of  satisfaction  is  infinite,  because 
one  single  drop  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  one  single  sigh  of  His  heart, 
would  have  been  sufficient  to  redeem  thousands  of  worlds  a  thousand 
times  more  guilty  than  ours.  2d.  That  there  are  in  heaven  many  saints 
who,  upon  earth,  by  their  extraordinary  penances,  by  their  works 
of  charity,  by  their  many  prayers,  did  much  more  than  was  necessary 
to  expiate  the  slight  faults  which  they  had  committed.  What  a  super- 
abundance of  merits  must  not  the  Blessed  Virgin  have  acquired  through 
her  holy  and  perfect  life,  and  having  not  the  least  stain  of  sin  to  ex- 
piate! 

All  these  satisfactions  or  all  these  superabundant  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ,  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  of  the  saints,  have  been  gathered 
by  the  Church  into  her  spiritual  treasury,  from  which,  as  from  an  im- 
mense reservoir,  we  may  draw,  in  order  to  supply  what  is  wanting  in 
our  personal  satisfactions. 

III.  Now,  it  will  be  easy  for  you  to  understand  what  is  an  indul- 
gence. It  is  the  remission,  granted  by  the  Church,  of  the  entire  tem- 
poral punishment,  or  a  part  of  that  punishment  which  we  would  be 
obliged  to  undergo  for  the  sins  which  we  have  committed,  and  this 
remission  is  secured  by  the  superabundant  satisfactions  of  Christ  and 
the  saints.  Thus,  an  indulgence  is  nothing  else  but  a  supplement  of 
the  sacrament  of  penance,  which  the  Church  places  at  our  disposal  to 
complete  our  satisfaction  to  God's  justice  for  our  sins. 

Indulgences  are  great  benefits,  and  benefits  which  are  generally 
not  sufficiently  appreciated.  What  is  more  advantageous,  indeed,  to 
a  sinner,  who  has  accumulated  debt  upon  debt,  than  to  be  enabled 
to  satisfy  for  them,  in  whole  or  in  part,  in  a  manner  so  prompt  and 
so  easy,  and  thus  to  escape  the  flames  of  purgatory,  or,  at  least,  to 
shorten  the  duration  of  his  punishment  in  this  world. 

IV.  The  Church  received  from  Jesus  Christ  the  power  to  grant 
indulgences,  when  He   said  to  His  apostles,  and  in  their  person   to 


ON  INDULGENCES 


483 


their  successors :  Whatsoever  you  shall  loose  on  earthy  it  shall  be 
loosed  also  in  heaven  (Matt.  xvi.  19).  These  words  are  clear  and 
confer  upon  the  Church  the  power  to  remove  every  obstacle  that 
would  hinder  us  from  entering  heaven.  The  apostle  St.  Paul  made 
use  of  this  power  in  favor  of  the  incestuous  Corinthian,  and,  since  the 
apostolic  times  down  to  our  days,  the  Church  has  taught  and  practiced 
the  doctrine  of  indulgences. 

V.  Does  the  Church,  in  granting  to  us  these  favors,  wish  to  dis- 
pense us  from  doing  penance?  God  forbid!  Since  the  practice  of 
mortification  and  penance  constitutes  the  very  essence  of  the  Christian 
life,  it  would  not  be  even  in  her  power  to  dispense  us  from  satisfying 
for  our  sins.  Far  from  desiring  to  relieve  us  from  such  a  grave  obli- 
gation, the  Church,  on  the  contrary,  preaches  penance,  and  declares 
that  if  we  do  not  lead  a  penitent  and  mortified  life,  we  shall  certainly 
be  lost:  Except  you  do  penance^ you  shall  all  liketvise  perish  (Luke 
XIII.  5).  But  she  sees,  on  one  hand,  the  extent  of  our  indebtedness  to 
God,  and,  on  the  other,  our  great  weakness ;  she  knows  how  few 
would  be  willing  to  submit  themselves  to  those  long  penances  of  seven 
years,  of  ten  years,  of  twenty  years,  and  sometimes  of  an  entire  life, 
which  the  sacred  canons  imposed  in  the  first  centuries,  and  which  are 
held  to  represent  the  satisfaction  required  by  the  divine  justice ;  she, 
therefore,  comes  to  our  assistance  and  enables  us  to  secure  a  remission 
of  this  debt,  or  of  a  portion  of  it,  provided  that  we  humbly  submit  our- 
selves to  the  conditions  which  she  requires. 

VI.  Who  has  the  power  to  grant  indulgences?  Only  the  Pope  and 
the  bishops ;  the  Pope  for  the  entire  Church,  and  the  bishops  in  their 
respective  dioceses.  No  priest  can  grant  indulgences,  because  this 
power  belongs  to  jurisdiction,  and  not  to  the  sacerdotal  character,  and 
because  jurisdiction  has  been  given  only  to  bishops  and  the  Pope. 
Priests  have  no  powers  but  those  that  are  delegated  to  them  by  the 
bishops. 

VII.  How  many  kind  of  indulgences  are  there?  Two  kinds:  par- 
tial indulgences  and  plenary  indulgences. 

A  partial  indulgence  is  one  which  remits  a  part  of  the  temporal 
punishment  due  to  sin ;  for  example,  forty  days,  one  hundred  days, 
one  year,  ten  years,  etc.  We  must  not  understand  by  this  one  hun- 
dred days  or  ten  years  in  purgatory,  but  only  one  hundred  days  or  ten 
years  of  penance  which  one  would  have  been  obliged  to  undergo  ac- 
cording to  the  ancient  penitential  canons  and  of  the  corresponding 


484 


FOURTH   PART.      XX.    INSTRUCTION 


punishment  in  purgatory,  whose  extent  we  do  not  know.  The  bishops 
can  grant  indulgences  of  forty  days  only,  or,  at  the  consecration  of  a 
Church,  of  one  year. 

A  plenary  indulgence  is  one  which  remits  all  the  temporal  punish- 
ment due  to  sin.  If,  therefore,  one  gains  a  plenary  indulgence,  and 
receives  a  perfect  application  thereof,  he  is  entirely  purified  from  his 
faults  and  freed  from  all  temporal  punishment,  and  if  he  dies  in  this 
happy  state,  he  will  enter  immediately  into  heaven.  But  affection  for 
venial  sin  often  hinders  the  gaining  of  an  indulgence  in  its  plentitude, 
because  venial  sins  for  which  one  keeps  an  affection  are  not  effaced, 
and,  consequently,  the  indulgence  cannot  remit  the  punishment  that  is 
due  to  them ;  one  obtains  only  the  remission  of  the  punishment  of  the 
mortal  sins  already  pardoned,  or  of  the  venial  sins  for  which  one  has 
real  contrition.  Only  the  Pope  or  the  bishops  assembled  in  a  general 
council  can  grant  plenary  indulgences. 

Among  the  partial  and  plenary  indulgences  we  distinguish  per- 
sonal and  real  indulgences.  Personal  indulgences  are  those  which  are 
attached  to  one  or  several  persons,  like  those  which  are  granted  to 
religious  communities  or  confraternities.  The  members  of  these  pious 
associations  can  gain  them  everywhere  when  they  fulfill  the  prescribed 
conditions.  Real  indulgences  are  those  which  are  attached  to  certain 
objects,  like  crosses,  rosaries,  medals.  These  various  objects  lose  the 
indulgences  when  one  gives  them  to  another  person,  after  having  re- 
tained them  in  his  possession  or  after  one  has  once  made  use  of  them. 
The  indulgences  attached  to  them  are  only  for  those  for  whom  they 
were  blessed,  or  to  whom  they  were  given  the  first  time. 

There  are  also  indulgences  which  are  only  for  the  living,  and 
others  which  one  can  apply  to  the  dead.  The  first  ones  are  granted 
by  ^*  way  of  absolution,*^  for  as  long  as  we  are  in  this  world  the 
Church  can  absolve  us  from  our  sins,  and  remit  the  punishment  due  to 
them.  The  others  can  be  given  only  by  ^*  way  of  suffrages,"  that  is, 
through  the  mediation  and  the  prayers  of  the  faithful,  because  when 
we  are  dead  the  Church  has  no  longer  any  jurisdiction  over  us.  The 
bulls  which  grant  the  indulgences  always  explain  whether  they  are 
for  both  the  living  and  the  dead,  or  for  the  living  only.  In  order 
that  the  indulgence  may  be  applied  more  surely  to  the  dead,  it  is  good 
to  have  in  mind  a  particular  person,  and  to  ask  God  for  his  deliv- 
erance from  purgatory.  But  it  would  be  rash  to  imagine  that  each 
time  one  gains  a  plenary  indulgence  for  the  dead  one  frees  a  soul  from 


ON   INDULGENCES 


485 


purgatory,  because  all  depends  on  the  state  in  which  this  soul  found 
itself  at  the  moment  of  death.  We  do  not  know  whether  it  had 
obtained  the  pardon  of  its  venial  sins  or  not ;  and  the  plenary  indul- 
gence which  is  applied  to  it  can  remit  only  the  temporal  punishment 
due  to  its  pardoned  sins.  How  many  unfortunate  souls  there  are  for 
whom  many  indulgences  have  been  gained  and  many  masses  offered, 
and  who,  nevertheless,  are  still  in  need  of  our  help  and  of  our  prayers! 

Among  the  plenary  indulgences,  the  principal  and  most  solemn  is 
that  of  the  jubilee,  on  account  of  the  extraordinary  privileges  attached 
to  it.  There  are  two  sorts  of  jubilees  :  the  ordinary  jubilee  which  takes 
place  every  twenty-five  years,  and  the  extraordinary  jubilee  which 
is  granted  on  particular  occasions,  such  as  the  accession  of  a  new  Pope, 
or  in  some  great  need  of  the  universal  Church  or  of  some  particular 
Church. 

During  the  time  of  a  jubilee  every  one  is  authorized  to  make  his 
confession  to  any  duly  approved  priest.  Confessors  can  then  absolve 
sinners  from  the  most  enormous  crimes,  even  from  those  whose  remis- 
sion is  ordinarily  reserved  to  the  Pope,  and  they  are  also  authorized  to 
commute  simple  vows,  with  the  exception  of  vows  of  chastity  and  of 
religion,  and  from  those  which  involve  an  obligation  accepted  by  a 
third  party. 

A  jubilee  has  always  been  considered  as  one  of  the  most  signal 
graces  which  God  in  His  mercy  can  grant  to  us,  and  as  one  of  the 
epochs  of  life  most  favorable  to  conversion  and  penance.  Woe  to  the 
one  who  will  not  profit  thereby! 

VIII.  What  are  the  conditions  necessary  to  gain  indulgences? 
They  are  three  in  number:  ist.  The  state  of  grace;  2d.  The  inten- 
tion to  gain  the  indulgence;  and  3d.  The  fulfillment  of  the  works  pre- 
scribed by  the  one  who  grants  the  indulgence. 

1st.  The  State  of  Grace. —  If  a  sin  is  not  pardoned  it  is  impossible 
to  obtain  the  remission  of  the  punishment  due  to  it.  Therefore,  before 
all,  it  is  indispensable  to  be  in  the  state  of  grace.  However,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  perform,  in  the  state  of  grace,  all  the  works  prescribed  to 
gain  the  indulgence.  It  is  sufficient  to  be  in  the  state  of  grace  when 
one  performs  the  last  of  the  good  works  prescribed. 

2d.  The  Intention  to  Gain  the  Indulgence. — One  who  should  do 
all  the  good  works  prescribed  for  the  gaining  of  an  indulgence,  but 
who  did  not  have  the  intention  of  gaining  an  indulgence,  would  not 
gain  it.     At  least  a  virtual  if  not  an  expressed  intention  is  needed ; 


486  FOURTH   PART.      XX.   INSTRUCTION 

and  as,  according  to  the  common  opinion,  a  virtual  intention  lasts 
hardly  longer  than  one  day,  it  is  good  every  morning  to  make  the  reso- 
lution of  gaining  all  the  indulgences  attached  to  the  practices  of  piety 
which  one  may  perform  during  the  day. 

3d.  The  Good  Works  Prescribed.  —  One  must  fulfill  these  works 
and  perform  them  in  the  manner  prescribed ;  such  as  kneeling,  stand- 
ing, at  a  particular  hour,  on  a  certain  day,  after  confession,  after 
communion,  praying  for  particular  intentions,  etc.  For  example, 
there  are  indulgences  attached  to  the  saying  of  the  Angelus,  provided 
that  one  recites  it  kneeling  when  one  can  conveniently  do  so ;  hence, 
one  must  recite  it  kneeling,  if  he  desires  to  gain  the  indulgences ; 
plenary  indulgences  are  attached  to  the  Way  of  the  Cross,  on  condition 
that  it  is  made  entirely,  and  that  at  each  picture  one  changes  his 
place ;  all  these  conditions  must  be  fulfilled  before  the  indulgence  can 
be  gained. 

When  confession  is  prescribed  as  the  essential  work,  it  is  indispen- 
sable even  for  those  who  are  guilty  of  only  venial  sins.  Nevertheless, 
those  who  have  this  pious  habit  of  going  to  confession  every  week,  or 
even  ever5^  two  weeks,  can,  in  several  dioceses,  by  a  special  privilege, 
gain  all  the  indulgences,  even  the  plenary  indulgences,  which  are 
granted  within  the  interval  of  their  confessions,  if  they  are  well  dis- 
posed. When  one  has  no  grievous  sin  to  confess,  it  is  not  necessary 
to  receive  absolution  in  order  to  gain  an  indu-lgence ;  it  is  sufficient 
simply  to  go  to  confession.  For  those  persons  who  do  not  go  to  con- 
fession weekly,  it  is  sufficient  if  they  go  to  confession  within  the  week 
that  precedes  the  feast,  provided  that  they  make  their  confession  with 
the  intention  of  gaining  the  indulgence,  and  that  they  keep  themselves 
in  the  state  of  grace. 

As  to  communion,  which  is  generally  required  to  gain  an  indul- 
gence, the  indulgence  may  also  be  gained  by  receiving  communion  on 
the  day  before  the  feast  to  which  the  indulgence  is  attached. 

A  work  already  obligatory  under  some  other  title  cannot  serve  to 
gain  an  indulgence.  However,  during  the  time  of  jubilee,  the  fast  of 
Lent  may  satisfy  a  double  obligation. 

If  prayers  are  prescribed,  it  is  not  sufficent  to  say  them  mentally ; 
they  must  be  said  vocally,  that  is,  by  word  of  mouth.  If  the  sover- 
eign pontiff  prescribes  prayers  for  the  need  of  the  church,  without 
determining  what  prayers,  it  is  sufficient  to  recite  five  Our  Fathers 
and  five  Hail  Marys,  according  to  the  intention  of  the  holy  father. 


ON   PURGATORY 


487 


IX.  Need  I  exhort  you,  my  brethren,  to  profit  by  a  means  at  once 
so  efficacious  and  so  easy  of  acquitting  or  diminishing  the  debts 
owing  to  God's  justice,  either  by  ourselves  or  by  others!  In  the  next 
instruction  I  shall  speak  to  you  of  purgatory  and  of  the  torments 
suffered  there  for  the  expiation  of  the  temporal  punishment  due  to 
sin.  There  you  shall  see  how  blind  we  would  be,  and  how  unchari- 
tably we  would  act.  if  we  were  not  to  make  every  effort,  while  we  are 
in  this  world,  to  avoid  or  to  abridge  for  ourselves  these  frightful 
torments,  or  to  deliver  those  poor  souls  who  are  already  condemned  to 
the  flames  of  purgatory.  Therefore,  let  us  gain  all  the  indulgences 
we  can,  and  let  us  hasten  to  put  ourselves  in  the  necessary  dispo- 
sitions, if  we  are  not  already  in  the  state  of  grace  and  imbued  with 
the  spirit  of  penance  which  God  requires.     Amen. 


XXI.     INSTRUCTION 
On    Purgatory 

Is  THERE  a  purgatory?  What  are  the  torments  one  suffers  therein  ? 
What  are  our  duties  towards  the  souls  in  purgatory.?  Behold  the  sub- 
ject of  our  instruction  to-day ! 

I.  And,  first,  is  there  a  purgatory,  that  is,  a  place  of  expiation 
where  the  souls  of  those  who  die  in  the  grace  of  God,  but  who  have 
not  yet  entirely  satisfied  for  their  sins,  must  suffer  for  a  time  in  order 
to  satisfy  the  divine  justice,  before  being  admitted  to  the  reward 
of  the  elect?  Yes,  my  brethren,  there  is  a  purgatory.  The  general 
belief  of  all  nations  argues  this ;  and  the  oracles  of  Holy  Scripture,  and 
the  tradition,  as  well  as  the  formal  definitions,  of  the  Church,  do  not 
permit  us  to  have  the  least  doubt  upon  this  matter. 

ist.  If  we  consult  the  history  of  the  most  ancient  nations,  we  find 
that  everywhere  and  at  all  times,  there  were  sacrifices  for  the  dead ; 
libations  and  expiatory  rites,  to  purify  them  from  their  stains  and 
to  restore  to  them  their  primitive  innocence.  Whence  arose  a  belief 
so  ancient  and  so  general?     It  must  have  been  derived  only  froin  a 


488  FOURTH   PART.      XXI.   INSTRUCTION 

primitive  revelation,  that  is,  from  the  source  of  all  truth,  from  God 
Himself. 

2d.  Holy  Scripture  expresses  itself  in  the  most  formal  manner  on 
purgatory.  In  the  Old  Testament,  Judas  the  Machabee,  after  a  cele- 
brated victory,  exhorted  the  Jews  to  pray  for  those  of  his  warriors 
who  had  fallen  in  battle  ;  for,  adds  the  sacred  text,  it  is  a  holy  and 
ivholesome  thought  to  pray  for  the  dead,  in  order  that  they  may  be 
loosed  from  sins  (II.  Mach.  xii.  42-45).  Nothing  can  be  clearer  than 
these  words,  and  the  apostle  St.  John,  in  the  Apocalypse  (xxi.  27), 
says  :  Nothing  defiled  shall  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  How  many 
there  are  who  die  before  being  able  to  expiate  all  their  sins  and  before 
obtaining  pardon  of  certain  venial  sins.''  Where,  then,  shall  these 
souls  go,  on  leaving  this  world,  since  they  cannot  yet  enter  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  ?  They  cannot  be  condemned  to  hell,  because  they  are 
in  the  state  of  grace.  Therefore,  there  must  be  between  heaven  and 
hell  a  middle  place,  where  venial  sins  can  be  expiated;  and  that  place 
is  purgatory. 

3d.  What  places  this  truth  beyond  all  dispute  is  the  constant 
tradition  and  the  formal  teaching  of  the  Church.  St.  Jerome,  who 
lived  in  the  fourth  century,  tells  us  of  a  fervent  Christian,  called  Sam- 
machus,  w^ho  watered  the  grave  of  his  wife  less  with  his  tears  than 
with  his  prayers  and  alms.  St.  Augustine  recalls  to  mind  with  great 
emotion  the  last  words  of  his  mother  Monica,  who,  when  dying, 
recommended  herself  to  the  prayers  of  her  son.  In  the  second 
century,  Tertullian  speaks  of  the  custom  which  Christians  had  of 
praying  for  the  dead.  All  the  other  Fathers  and  Doctors  of  the 
Church,  such  as  St.  Clement  of  Alexandria,  Origen,  St.  Athanasius, 
Thodoret,  St.  Chrysostom,  St.  Ambrose,  and  St.  Gregory,  place  the 
dogma  of  purgatory  among  the  articles  of  faith.  To  prove  that  such 
has  always  been  the  belief  and  teaching  of  the  Church,  we  could 
quote  here  an  endless  number  of  witnesses ;  but  suffice  it  to  say  that 
the  holy  Council  of  Trent  has  formally  anathemized  any  one  who 
denies  the  doctrine  of  purgatory,  and  decided  that  if  the  sinner 
does  not  satisfy  in  this  world  for  the  temporal  punishment  due  to 
his  sins,  he  has  to  satisfy  for  it  in  purgatory  after  death  (Sess. 
VI.,  c.  30.) 

It  is,  therefore,  an  article  of  faith  that  there  is  a  purgatory ;  we 
cannot  question  the  existence  of  purgatory  any  more  than  the  exist- 
ence of  heaven  or  of  hell.      And  any  one  who  should  refuse  to  believe 


ON   PURGATORY 


489 


in  it,  would  no  longer  be  a  child  of  the  Church ;  he  would  not  be  a 
Catholic  any  more,  and  would  be  out  of  the  way  of  salvation. 

II.  What  is  purgatory,  and  what  are  the  torments  suffered  there? 
In  purgatory  souls  have  to  suffer  two  kinds  of  torments ;  the  priva- 
tion of  God  and  the  pain  of  fire. 

1st.  The  Privation  of  God. — This  is  an  article  of  faith,  defined  by 
the  General  Council  of  Florence.  This  privation  of  the  enjoyment  of 
God  is  for  them  the  most  fearful  of  all  torments ;  for  they  know  that 
they  are  made  for  God,  and  destined  to  see  and  possess  Him  forever  in 
heaven.  And  as  they  love  Him  with  all  the  affection  of  which  they 
are  capable,  they  sigh  for  the  moment  to  be  admitted  to  His  presence. 
They  are  like  captives  in  a  distant  land,  sighing  for  their  beloved 
country ;  or  like  dutiful  children  separated  from  the  most  loving  of 
parents.  Oh!  who  can  picture  the  lonesomeness  which  devours  these 
holy  souls,  and  their  holy  impatience  to  leave  their  loathsome  prison 
and  go  into  the  delights  of  heaven  !  To  know  that  one  has  merited 
heaven,  that  one  is  inscribed  among  the  number  of  the  elect,  and, 
nevertheless,  to  be  unable  to  partake  of  the  glory  and  happiness  of 
heaven,  is,  indeed,  a  fearful  torment. 

2d.  The  Pain  of  Fire. — According  to  the  opinion  of  most  theo- 
logians, the  fire  of  purgatory  is  a  real  fire,  and  all  the  more  fierce 
since  it  is  enkindled  by  the  wrath  of  God.  In  comparison  with  the 
fire  of  purgatory,  the  fire  of  earth  is  nothing.  According  to  St. 
Augustine,  the  fire  of  purgatory  is  like  the  fire  of  hell,  and  differs  from 
it  only  in  duration. 

Such  are  the  torments  of  the  souls  in  purgatory;  torments  which 
we  seem  to  dread  so  little,  and  to  which  we  expose  ourselves  so  easily. 
How  long  will  the  sufferings  of  purgatory  last  ?  We  do  not  know,  for 
God  has  not  deigned  to  reveal  this  to  us.  Perhaps  months  or  only 
days ;  perhaps  years  and  centuries.  One  day  it  was  revealed  to  St. 
Bridget  that  there  are  souls  in  purgatory  condemned  to  suffer  until  the 
day  of  judgment.  St.  Vincent  Ferrier  says  that  it  was  revealed  to  him 
that  persons  had  been  condemned  to  purgatory  an  entire  year  for  one 
single  venial  act. 

However  it  may  be  with  these  particular  revelations  which, 
although  respectable  in  themselves,  are  for  all  that  not  articles  of  faith, 
it  is  always  certain  that  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  living  God.  We  cannot  leave  purgatory  until  we  have  paid  the 
last   farthing.      Remember  that  we  deserve   the   pains  of  purgatory 


49° 


FOURTH  PART.      XXI.   INSTRUCTION 


every  time  we  commit  a  venial  sin,  and  that  the  more  venial  sins  and 
remains  of  sins  remaining  w^ith  us  at  death  the  longer  will  be  our  suf- 
fering in  purgatory. 

Let  us  learn  from  this,  my  brethren,  how  important  it  is  to  watch 
over  ourselves,  and  to  avoid  those  apparently  slight  faults,  which  will 
condemn  us  to  those  avenging  flames.  Let  us  learn  how  essential 
it  is  to  satisfy  for  our  sins  by  prayer  and  penance  in  this  life,  and  thus 
escape  the  torments  of  purgatory. 

III.  What  are  our  duties  towards  these  unfortunate  souls  who  are 
confined  in  this  place  of  expiation  and  of  sufferings,  and  how  can  we 
relieve  them.'' 

It  is  an  article  of  faith  that  by  our  prayers  and  good  works  we  can 
procure  the  relief,  and  even  the  entire  deliverance,  of  the  souls  in  pur- 
gatory. We  make  profession  of  this  belief  when  we  recite  the  Apos- 
tles' Creed  and  say  :  /  believe  in  the  Communion  of  Saints;  for  these 
words  signify  the  union  and  charity  which  exist  between  the  Church 
militant,  the  Church  suffering,  and  the  Church  triumphant.  Just  as 
the  saints  in  heaven  can  assist  us  by  their  prayers,  so,  also,  can  we 
assist  the  souls  in  purgatory,  in  relieving  their  suffering  and  shortening 
their  term  of  imprisonment. 

We  are  obliged  to  do  this,  my  brethren,  according  to  the  measure 
of  our  strength.  The  glory  of  God,  charity  towards  these  poor  souls, 
and  our  own  interest  impel  us  to  this  pious  duty. 

1st.  The  Glory  of  God. —  Theologians  teach  us  that  it  would  be 
very  difficult  to  honor  Him  in  a  more  efficacious  manner  than  by  free- 
ing souls  from  purgatory,  and  that  everything  one  does  for  these  souls 
is  even  more  meritorious  than  the  labors  of  missionaries  who  cross  the 
seas  and  go  into  distant  lands  to  convert  the  infidels.  Do  you  know 
what  a  pious  Christian  does  who  labors  for  the  deliverance  of  the  poor 
souls?  He  imitates  our  divine  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  when  He  de- 
scended into  Limbo,  to  comfort  the  holy  souls  who  were  detained 
there. 

A  pious  author.  Father  Rupert,  says:  **God  finds  himself  in  a 
strange  state  in  regard  to  the  holy  souls  in  purgatory  :  He  loves  them 
with  a  tender  and  paternal  love,  because  they  are  holy;  and,  neverthe- 
less. He  is  obliged  to  punish  them.  His  goodness  would  like  to  par- 
don them,  but  His  justice  is  opposed  to  this.  How  it  must  grieve  His 
heart  to  chastise  these  chaste  and  holy  souls !  Think  what  it  would 
cost  a  tender  father  to  put  into  prison  and  to  deprive  of  nourishment 


ON  PURGATORY  4^1 

a  son  whom  he  idolizes,  but  whom  he  is  obliged  to  punish  on  account 
of  some  fault  he  has  committed.  What  a  pleasure,  therefore,  does  he 
procure  to  God  who  intercedes  for  these  blessed  souls,  who  satisfies 
for  their  sins  and  thus  saves  them  from  their  fearful  sufferings !  '* 

2d.  A  second  motive  which  obliges  us  not  less  to  labor  for  the  relief 
of  the  souls  in  purgatory,  is  charity.  Suppose  that  a  fire  breaks  out  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  that  a  whole  family  is  in  danger  of  perishing  in 
the  flames,  who  among  you  would  not  hasten  to  their  rescue?  He 
would,  indeed,  be  cowardly  and  hard-hearted,  who  should  remain  indif- 
ferent in  so  great  a  danger.  The  situation  of  the  souls  in  purgatory 
is  similar.  They  suffer  unspeakable  torments.  And,  fettered  as  they 
are,  by  the  hand  of  the  almighty  power  of  God,  they  can  do  nothing 
for  their  own  deliverance.  But  you  can  help  them,  my  brethren ;  it 
depends  on  you  to  deliver  them.  If  you  have  any  charity,  will  you 
hesitate  for  a  moment  to  assist  them  ;  and  with  the  faith  that  you  have, 
would  you  not  be  most  cruel  to  abandon  your  suffering  brethren  } 

And  how  many  of  these  suffering  souls  may  be  united  to  you  by 
the  ties  of  relationship  or  friendship !  Do  you  not  hear  the  voice  of 
that  father,  or  of  that  beloved  mother  whose  loss  you  still  bewail,  or  of 
that  brother,  of  that  sister  whom  you  loved  so  dearly  ;  wife,  do  you  not 
hear  the  voice  of  your  husband;  parents,  do  you  not  hear  the  wail  of 
your  children  ;  and  do  we  not  all  hear  the  cry  of  some  friend  or  of  some 
benefactor  who  begs  our  assistance  ?  Have  pity  on  me,  have  pity  on  me, 
at  least  you,  my  friends,  because  the  hand  of  the  Lord  has  touched  me 
(Job  XIX.  21).  Ah!  even  if  we  were  strangers  to  you,  even  then 
you  ought  to  have  compassion  on  us ;  but  you,  parents,  friends,  how 
can  you  forget  us,  suffering  as  we  are?  My  son,  my  daughter,  cries 
out  a  father,  or  an  unfortunate  mother,  I  suffered  so  much  for  you  on 
earth,  I  took  so  much  care  of  you,  I  left  to  you  all  my  goods,  and  now 
you  even  refuse  to  assist  me  with  a  few  prayers !  My  husband,  my 
wife,  my  brother,  my  friend,  where  is  that  love  which  united  us  once, 
where  is  the  gratitude  you  owe  me?     Have  pity  on  me. 

But  among  so  many  voices  which  claim  your  assistance  in  the 
name  of  charity,  what  voice  is  that  which  appeals  to  the  rights  of  jus- 
tice? Ah!  it  is  addressed  to  you,  my  dear  hearer,  to  you  who  have 
inherited  goods  under  condition  that  you  should  have  masses  said, 
that  you  should  give  alms  to  the  poor,  that  you  should  pay  a  sum  to 
the  Church;  and  you  have  done  nothing  of  all  this,  or  very  little !  Ah! 
cries  6ut  the  suffering  soul,  how  ungrateful  and  unjust  you  are!     I 


492 


FOURTH  PART.      XXI.    INSTRUCTION 


have  robbed  myself  of  everything  for  your  sake,  I  have  left  you.  all  my 
worldly  goods,  I  have  made  you  what  you  are,  and  now  you  have  for- 
gotten me,  and  you  refuse  me  all  assistance  in  this  frightful  state  in 
w^hich  I  find  myself.  Ah!  how  cruel  you  are!  If  you  do  not  desire 
to  help  me  in  the  name  of  friendship  and  gratitude,  help  me,  at  least,  in 
the  name  of  justice.  Pay  your  debts ;  I  claim  it  in  the  name  of  God 
and  of  His  eternal  vengeance.     Have  pity  on  me. 

3d.  To  the  motives  I  have  named  there  remains  a  third  one,  which 
is  your  own  interest.  Be  sure  that  everything  you  do  for  the  souls 
in  purgatory  will  be  repaid  a  hundredfold,  and  that  when  they  shall 
reach  heaven  some  day,  they  will  pray  for  you.  If  you  should  be  for- 
tunate enough  to  deliver  one  single  soul  from  purgatory,  your  salva- 
tion would  be  almost  assured,  because,  then,  you  would  have  in  heaven 
a  friend  who  would  never  cease  to  pray  for  you,  and  who  could  not 
fail  to  obtain  for  you  the  grace  of  conversion  and  perseverance.  On 
the  contrary,  if  you  do  not  pray,  and  if  you  are  like  those  Christians 
who  are  given  up  to  a  contemptible  avarice,  and  who  never  sacrifice 
a  penny  either  for  masses  or  for  alms,  you  must  expect  to  be  treated  in 
the  same  manner  by  those  who  come  after  you. 

IV.  By  what  means  can  we  relieve  these  suffering  souls.?  The 
first  and  principal  means  is  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass ;  because 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  which  flows  upon  the  altar  is  like  a  refresh- 
ing water  which  helps  to  extinguish,  or,  at  least,  to  diminish,  the  flames 
of  purgatory.  Alms-giving  has,  also,  always  been  considered  as  an 
excellent  means  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  of  the  poor  souls  and  to 
hasten  the  moment  of  their  entering  into  the  place  of  refeshment, 
light,  and  peace.  Indulgences  can  so  easily  and  so  often  be  applied 
to  them.  Finally,  prayer,  holy  communion,  mortification,  and,  in 
general,  all  good  works,  provided  they  are  performed  in  the  state  of 
grace  and  for  their  intention. 

Pray,  therefore,  for  these  unfortunate  souls,  and  employ  all  possible 
means  to  relieve  them.  From  time  to  time  cause  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass  to  be  offered  up  for  them  ;  often  assist  at  Mass  and  give  alms  to 
the  poor  for  their  intention.  Teach  your  children  to  have  the  same 
sentiments  of  charity  towards  the  dead,  in  order  that  one  day  they 
may  pray  for  you.  If  you  have  duties  of  justice  tow^ards  the  deceased, 
do  not  fail  to  acquit  yourselves  of  them  as  soon  as  possible,  and  do 
not  give  the  sad  example  of  hard-heartedness  and  of  ingratitude  to  the 
dead. 


*•% 


ON   EXTREME   UNCTION 


493 


But,  in  laboring  thus  for  others,  do  not  forget  yourselves;  and  since 
there  is  so  little  needed  to  cause  your  condemnation  to  the  fright- 
ful pains  of  purgatory,  redouble  your  watchfulness,  avoid  even  the 
smallest  faults,  and  redouble  your  zeal  to  expiate  those  which  you 
have  committed.  What  a  consolation  for  you  at  the  hour  of  death, 
if  your  debts  are  entirely  paid,  if  your  sins  are  totally  effaced,  and  if 
you  are  allowed  to  enter  immediately  into  the  possession  of  eternal 
glory  !      May  God  give  you  this  grace  !     Amen. 


XXII.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Extreme  Unction 

Extreme  unction  is  a  sacrament  instituted  by  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  for  both  the  spiritual  and  corporal  relief  of  the  sick. 

That  it  is  a  real  sacrament  of  the  New  Law  is  an  article  of  faith, 
w^hich  has  always  been  believed  and  taught  in  the  Church,  and  which 
has  been  formally  defined  by  the  holy  Council  of  Trent,  in  the  follow- 
ing terms  :  If  any  one  dares  to  maintain  that  extreme  unction  is  not 
really  a  sacrament  instituted  by  our  Lord  jfesus  Christ,  but  only  a 
ceremony  recommended  by  the  fathers,  or  a  pure  hum.an  invention,  let 
him  be  anathema  (Sess.  xiv.,  c.  13). 

Besides,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  extreme  unction  unites  the  three 
characters  which  constitute  a  sacrament.  We  find  the  outward  sign 
in  the  unctions  which  the  priest  makes  on  the  person  of  the  sick  with 
holy  oils  and  in  the  prayers  which  accompany  them.  This  outward 
sign  has  the  power  to  produce  grace,  because  it  purifies  us  from  our 
sins.  And,  finally,  this  sign  has  been  established  by  Jesus  Christ,  be- 
cause God  alone  is  the  author  and  principle  of  grace. 

The  matter  of  this  sacrament  is  the  oil  of  the  sick,  consecrated  by 
the  bishop,  and  the  form  is  the  words  which  the  priest  pronounces  in 
applying  the  holy  oil  on  the  principal  organs  or  senses  of  the  sick  per- 
son, on  the  eyes,  the  ears,  the  nostrils,  the  mouth,  the  hands,  and  the 
feet,  with  the  view  to  obtain  pardon  from  God  for  the  sins  which  the 
sick  may  have  committed  by  each  of  these  exterior  members. 


4Q4  FOURTH  PART.      XXII.   INSTRUCTION 

The  sacrament  of  extreme  unction  is  called  thus,  because  it  is  the 
last  of  the  unctions  which  the  Church  makes  on  us.  We  receive  the 
first  in  baptism,  the  second  in  confirmation,  and  extreme  unction  is 
the  third  and  last.  By  the  first  we  become  children  of  God ;  by  the 
second  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  the  third  prepares  us  for  the  terri- 
ble assaults  of  the  devil,  at  the  hour  of  death. 

All  that  faith  teaches  us  about  extreme  unction  is  contained  in  sub- 
stance in  the  Epistle  of  St.  James,  chap,  v.,  where  it  is  said  :  Is  any 
man  sick  among  you?  Let  him  bring  in  the  priests  of  the  Church  and 
let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord.  And  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick  man,  and  the  Lord 
shall  raise  him  up;  and  if  he  be  in  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him. 

I.  The  effects  which  the  sacrament  of  extreme  unction  produces 
can  be  reduced  to  three  :  the  remission  of  sins ;  the  relief  and  strength 
of  the  soul ;  the  restoration  of  health,  if  God  so  pleases, 

1st.  The  Retnission  of  Sins.  —  Although  this  sacrament  has  not 
been  instituted  for  this  end,  nevertheless  it  has  the  power  to  purify  us, 
not  only  from  all  venial  sins  which  may  be  remitted  outside  the  sac- 
rament of  penance,  but,  also,  from  the  mortal  sins  which  might  not 
have  been  effaced  by  confession. 

Thus,  it  may  happen  that  a  person,  after  having  received  absolu- 
tion and  communion,  has  fallen  into  mortal  sin  of  which  he  may  not 
know  anything  or  which  he  has  forgotten,  and  which,  consequently, 
he  will  not  confess ;  or  he  has  received  absolution  and  communion  in 
an  unworthy  manner,  without  knowing  it.  In  this  case,  if  he  receives 
extreme  unction  with  a  real  contrition,  he  obtains  the  remission  of  his 
faults,  however  grievous  they  may  be.  This  follow^s  from  the  ^vords 
of  St.  James,  quoted  before  :  "If  he  be  in  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven 
him.'^  And  not  only  does  he  obtain  the  remission  of  sins,  but  also  of 
the  remains  of  sin,  which  are  the  temporal  punishment,  and  the  spirit- 
ual weakness  and  languor,  such  as  the  blindness  of  mind,  hardness  of 
the  heart,  and  a  strong  inclination  to  evil.  Extreme  unction  has  the 
power  to  remit  wholly  or  in  part  the  temporal  punishments  which  we 
owe  to  divine  justice  after  our  sins  have  been  pardoned,  according  to 
the  fervor  with  which  we  receive  it.  It  is  a  remedy  sovereignly  effi- 
cacious against  the  infirmities  which  sin  ordinarily  leaves  in  our  soul : 
^^And  if  he  be  in  sin.^^     .     .     .     Such  is  the  teaching  of  the  Church. 

2d.  A  second  effect,  says  the  Council  of  Trent,  after  the  apostle  St. 
James,  is  to  procure  for  our  soul  relief  in  its  p^ins  and  strength  against 


ON   EXTREME   UNCTION  ^pc 

the  horrors  of  death  and  the  temptations  of  the  devil.  If  we  need 
confidence  in  the  trials,  resignation  in  the  adversities,  and  strength 
against  the  evil  suggestions  of  every  day,  how  much  more  so  in  these 
last  moments  when  we  are  oppressed  by  so  many  evils,  when  death 
presents  itself  to  us  with  all  that  is  frightful,  and  when  the  infer- 
nal spirit  redoubles  his  rage  and  fury  in  order  to  drag  us  into  hell. 

Extreme  unction  has  the  virtue  of  calming  all  this  anguish  of  soul, 
just  as  oil  and  balsam  alleviate  suffering  of  the  body.  Extreme  unction 
raises  our  confidence  in  God,  and  inclines  us  to  absolute  and  perfect 
resignation;  it  dispels  the  idle  phantoms  which  the  approach  of  our 
last  hour  raises  in  our  troubled  mind,  and  it  assists  us  to  conquer  the 
enemy  of  salvation. 

How  else,  my  brethren,  can  you  account  for  that  calm,  that  seren- 
ity, that  peace  of  mind,  which  we  notice  so  often  in  the  sick  who  have 
just  received  the  sacrament  of  extreme  unction .?  Ah !  undoubtedly, 
absolution  and  Holy  Communion  have  contributed  very  much  towards 
this ;  but  it  is  mainly  due  to  the  unction  of  the  dying  which  has  been 
instituted  for  this  very  end. 

3d.  The  third  and  last  effect  which  the  Council  attributes  to  ex- 
treme unction, —  always  according  to  the  apostle  St.  James, —  is  the 
restoration  of  corporal  health,  if  it  should  contribute  to  the  salvation 
of  the  sick  person. 

Restoration  to  health  is  not  the  ordinary  effect  of  extreme  unction; 
but  it  can,  and  often  does,  restore  health,  if  God  judges  it  proper.  It 
was  by  this  precious  remedy  that  the  apostles  healed  many  sick  :  And 
they  anointed  with  oil  many  that  ivere  sick,  and  healed  them  (Mark  vi. 
13).  These  unctions  were  the  prelude  of  the  sacrament  which  the 
divine  Saviour  was  to  institute.  It  happens  so  often  that  extreme 
unction  is  followed  by  extraordinary  and  unexpected  cures  that  we 
have  a  perfect  right  to  believe  that  this  grace  is  not  at  all  foreign  to 
this  sacrament.  But  this  effect  depends  entirely  on  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  God,  and  when  one  receives  this  sacrament  he  ought  to 
seek  before  all  the  good  of  his  soul  and  the  help  which  it  needs  for 
salvation. 

II.  Such  are  the  wonderful  effects  of  extreme  unction.  After  all 
that  you  have  just  heard,  I  need  not  tell  you  how  important  it  is  for  a 
sick  person  to  receive  this  sacrament.  Those  who  attend  the  sick  per- 
son should  hasten  with  a  pious  alacrity  to  have  the  sacrament  adminis- 
tered as  soon  as  the  danger  of  death  shows  itself.     Extreme  unction  is 


496 


FOURTH   PART.      XXII.    INSTRUCTION 


not,  indeed,  a  necessary  sacrament,  like  baptism ;  and  a  sick  person 
can  be  saved  even  without  receiving  this  help.  But  it  is  necessary 
"  by  the  necessity  of  precept  **  ;  and  a  sick  person  who,  with  full 
knowledge,  would  refuse  to  receive  it,  or  the  relatives  and  servants  of 
the  sick  who  would  neglect  to  call  a  priest  in  order  to  administer  it, 
would  be  in  danger  of  committing  a  mortal  sin. 

It  is  related  of  a  holy  bishop,  named  Malachias,  that,  having  neg- 
lected to  give  extreme  unction  to  a  woman  who  died  without  receiving 
it,  he  was  so  overcome  with  sorrow^,  that  he  passed  the  whole  night  in 
prayer,  and  sighs,  and  tears.  Therefore,  my  brethren,  when  your  end 
draws  near,  or  if  you  are  attending  a  sick  person  who  appears  to  be 
near  death,  hasten  to  call  the  minister  of  the  Church  in  order  that  he 
may  bring  the  last  consolations  of  religion.  Far  from  being  a  pledge 
of  death,  as  many  wrongly  imagine,  this  sacrament  may  even  restore 
his  health,  and,  in  all  cases,  it  will  be  for  the  sick  a  source  of  graces 
and  consolations,  which  will  render  his  last  moments  less  gloomy,  and 
will  assist  him  to  die  a  good  and  holy  death. 

III.  When  may  one  receive  extreme  unction  }  May  one  receive  it 
before  the  danger  of  death  manifests  itself,  or  must  one  wait  until  the 
last  moment?  Neither  one  nor  the  other.  There  must  be  some  dan- 
ger. Is  any  man  sick  among  you?  But  as  soon  as  the  danger  is  cer- 
tain, one  should  hasten  to  receive  it.  To  \vait  until  the  last  moment, 
w^ould  be  exposing  oneself  never  to  receive  it,  or  to  receive  it  without 
knowledge,  and,  perhaps,  without  fruit. 

And,  nevertheless,  this  happens  too  frequently.  Under  pretext  of 
not  aggravating  the  condition  of  the  sick  person,  or  of  not  frightening 
the  family,  extreme  unction  is  put  off  from  day  to  day.  And,  as  is 
often  the  consequence,  the  sick  person  has  gone  to  appear  before  the 
tribunal  of  God  without  this  sacrament.  Undoubtedly,  nobody  can 
be  held  responsible  for  the  surprises  of  death ;  but  what  we  can  do 
and  ought  to  do,  is  not  to  expose  ourselves  to  the  danger  of  being  sur- 
prised, and,  consequently,  to  take  measures  in  time. 

This  leads  me  to  a  practical  question,  about  which  I  would  like  to 
say  a  few  words.  What  must  we  believe  of  those  sick  persons  who 
have  lost  the  use  of  reason  before  going  to  confession?  Must  the  sac- 
rament of  extreme  unction  be  given  to  them?  Yes,  when  one  can 
reasonably  suppose  that  they  were  in  good  dispositions  before  they 
lost  the  use  of  reason.  Such  is  the  practice  of  the  Church.  There  is 
a  more  powerful  motive  to  give  extreme  unction  to  those  children  who 


ON  EXTREME  UNCTION 


497 


have  not  yet  made  their  first  communion,  but  who  have  sufficient 
knowledge  to  distinguish  good  from  evil,  because,  having  the  use  of 
reason,  they  may  have  committed  sin,  and  may  be  in  need  of  these 
helps  to  die  a  good  death.  But  as  to  those  who  never  had  the  use  of 
reason,  be  they  adults  or  not,  extreme  unction  must  not  be  given  to 
them. 

IV.  How  often  can  we  receive  the  sacrament  of  extreme  unction  ? 
We  can  receive  it  only  once  in  the  same  sickness,  however  long  the 
sickness  may  last ;  but  if  after  having  recovered  from  one  illness,  one 
becomes  sick  again,  he  can  receive  this  sacrament  anew,  and  receive 
it  as  many  times  as  there  is  a  relapse.  When  in  doubt  whether  the 
illness  is  always  the  same,  the  priests  adopt  the  surest  part,  and  again 
administer  the  sacrament. 

Every  priest,  in  virtue  of  his  ordination,  can  validly  administer 
extreme  unction:  Let  him  bring  in  the  friests .  But,  conformably  to 
the  discipline  of  the  Church,  only  the  pastor  or  his  delegate  can 
administer  it  legitimately,  except  in  cases  of  necessity.  It  is  becom- 
ing that  the  relatives  of  the  sick  person  gather  around  his  bed,  during 
the  administration  of  this  sacrament,  in  order  to  unite  their  prayers 
with  those  of  the  priest.  It  is  always  becoming  that  the  sick  person, 
after  the  reception  of  extreme  unction,  if  he  be  a  parent,  call  around 
him  his  children  and,  according  to  the  example  of  Tobias,  give  to 
them  his  blessing,  accompanied  with  some  salutary  advice  ;  for  chil- 
dren do  not  easily  forget  the  last  words  of  a  father  or  a  mother. 

V.  It  remains  to  speak  of  the  manner  of  administering  this  sacra- 
ment, and  of  the  dispositions  necessary  to  receive  it. 

When  the  time  has  come,  the  parents  or  servants  of  the  sick  person 
prepare  the  sick  room,  and  put  it  in  the  best  state  of  cleanliness. 
Near  the  bed  of  the  sick  person  is  placed  a  table  covered  with  a  white 
cloth.  On  the  table  is  placed  a  crucifix  and  two  lighted  candles,  holy 
water  in  a  vessel,  with  sprinkler ;  a  plate  containing  six  or  seven  balls 
of  cotton,  and  a  few  slices  of  bread  to  wipe  off  the  fingers  of  the 
priest.  Finally,  there  is  needed  a  small  pitcher  filled  with  water, 
a  clean  towel,  and  a  plate  or  basin  to  receive  the  water  and  the 
crumbs  when  the  priest  washes  his  hands. 

The  priest  puts  the  holy  oil  on  the  table;  and,  vested  with  surplice 
and  violet  stole,  he  takes  a  crucifix  and  offers  it  to  the  sick  person  to 
be  kissed.  He  sprinkles  the  sick  bed  and  the  assistants  with  holy 
water  and  recommends  the  attendants  to  pray  while  he  administers 


498 


FOURTH   PART.      XXII.   INSTRUCTION 


the  sacrament.  He  anoints  the  eyes,  ears,  nostrils,  mouth,  hands,  and 
feet  of  the  sick  person.  If  there  is  no  time  to  make  all  these  unctions 
before  the  sick  person  expires,  one  unction  would  be  sufficient. 

After  having  washed  his  hands,  the  priest  returns  to  the  sick  per- 
son, reciting  prayers  beseeching  the  God  of  goodness  and  mercy  to 
grant  to  His  servant  all  that  is  necessary,  either  for  soul  or  body.  He 
then  addresses  a  few  words  to  the  sick  person  to  sustain  his  courage, 
to  prepare  him  for  the  terrible  passage  from  time  to  eternity,  and  ends 
by  giving  him  his  blessing. 

You  see,  my  brethren,  how  everything  is  grave  and  edifying  in 
extreme  unction.  You  must  have  often  admired  the  inestimable  effects 
which  it  produces  in  the  sick.  Should  we  be  astonished  that  the  saints 
had  always  so  much  respect  for  this  sacrament,  and  the  greatest  per- 
sonages, such  as  St.  Louis,  king  of  France,  and  Henry  IH.,  king  of 
England,  wished  to  receive  it  lying  upon  ashes  and  sackcloth? 

VI.  But,  in  order  that  extreme  unction  may  produce  its  wonderful 
effects,  it  must  be  received  with  the  right  dispositions. 

The  first  and  most  necessary  disposition  is  the  state  of  grace.  For, 
although  extreme  unction  has  the  power  of  remitting  sins,  it  is  a  sac- 
rament of  the  living,  and  he  would  commit  a  sacrilege  who  would 
knowingly  receive  it  in  the  state  of  mortal  sin.  Hence,  if  one  would 
feel  oneself  guilty  of  some  grievous  fault,  one  would  have  to  purify 
oneself  by  a  good  confession,  accompanied  with  absolution. 

The  second  disposition  is  perfect  confidence  in  God.  It  is  not 
seldom  that  at  this  last  moment  the  devil  seeks  to  frighten  the  soul 
and  bring  it  to  despair.  But,  however  enormous  and  numerous  your 
sins  may  be,  be  careful  never  to  be  discouraged.  Has  not  the  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ  an  infinite  value  ?  Is  not  His  mercy  without  limit }  Was 
not  the  penitent  thief  pardoned  on  the  cross?  Return  sincerely  to 
God  and  have  full  confidence  in  Him. 

The  third  and  last  disposition  is  an  entire  resignation  to  God"" s  will. 
We  must  die  some  day,  whether  we  want  to  or  not.  Let  us  submit  to 
divine  Providence,  and  let  us  generously  accept  the  chalice  which  is 
offered  to  us.  According  to  the  example  of  our  divine  master,  let  us 
freely  bring  the  sacrifice  of  all  that  is  most  dear  to  us  in  this  world. 
In  sickness,  w^e  can  do  nothing  more  meritorious,  nothing  better  fitted 
to  open  heaven  for  us,  than  to  offer  up  our  life.  And,  moreover,  what 
can  keep  us  so  much  attached  to  this  miserable  earth,  where,  perhaps, 
we  should  only  increase  the  number  of  our  sins,  and  expose  ourselves 


ON   HOLY  ORDERS 


499 


to  die  in  impenitence?  Is  heaven  not  preferable  to  all  the  joys  and 
pleasures  of  this  world,  where  all  pleasures  are  mingled  with  so  much 
bitterness?  Let  us  cry  out  in  this  supreme  moment :  Ah!  when  shall 
my  pilgrimage  end  in  this  land  of  exile?  or,  borrowing  the  words  of 
the  royal  prophet:  When  shall  I  appear  before  the  face  of  God?  (Ps. 
XLI.  3.) 


XXIII.     INSTRUCTION 
On  the  Sacrament  of  Holy  Orders 

I.  Holy  Orders  is  a  sacrament  which  gives  power  and  grace 
to  exercise  the  functions  of  the  Church.  Although,  generally  speak- 
ing, few  of  you  are  called  to  receive  this  sacrament,  it  is,  nevertheless, 
necessary  for  you  to  be  instructed  in  it. 

It  is  an  article  of  faith  that  Holy  Orders  is  one  of  the  seven  sacra- 
ments ;  for  the  Church  has  always  believed  this,  and  has  solemnly 
defined  it  in  several  councils,  especially  in  the  Council  of  Trent, 
which  expresses  itself  in  the  following  terms:  *  If  anybody  says  that 
Orders  or  Holy  Ordination  is  not  really  and  properly  a  sacrament 
instituted  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema.^*  Our 
divine  Saviour  instituted  this  sacrament  on  Holy  Thursday,  on  the 
eve  of  His  passion,  when  He  gave  to  His  apostles  and  to  all  the  priests, 
their  successors,  the  power  to  consecrate  His  adorable  body  and  blood, 
by  saying  to  them,  after  the  institution  of  the  Eucharist :  Do  this  in 
commemoration  of  me  (Luke  xxii.  19).  For,  in  thus  giving  to  them 
the  power  to  offer  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  He  instituted  them  priests 
of  the  New  Covenant,  and  it  was  evidently  His  wish  that  they  should 
transmit  this  power  to  others,  in  succession  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion, until  the  end  of  the  world. 

II.  The  sacrament  of  Holy  Orders  produces  two  principal  effects 
in  those  who  receive  it.  The  first  is  grace  —  not  that  which  we  call 
frst  grace  or  grace  of  justification,  which  from  sinners  renders  us 
just,  because  Holy  Order  is  a  sacrament  of  the  living,  and,  conse- 
quently, one  must  have  grace  before  receiving  it ;  but  it  gives  that 
second  grace  which  renders  the  just  still  more  holy  and  confers  upon 
them  the  means  to  fulfill  worthily  the  duties  of  their  state  of  life. 


500 


FOURTH  PART.     XXIII.  INSTRUCTION 


The  second  effect  of  this  sacrament  is  the  imprint  on  the  soul  of  an 
indelible  character  or  mark,  which  not  only  distinguishes  the  priest 
from  laymen,  but  gives  to  him,  also,  the  power  to  exercise  the  holy 
functions  of  the  Church.  Whence  it  follows  that  no  layman,  how- 
ever learned  and  holy  he  may  be,  may  perform  the  work  of  the  sacred 
ministry,  without  a  sacrilegious  usurpation. 

The  matter  of  this  sacrament  consists  in  the  imposition  of  hands, 
made  by  the  bishops,  on  the  heads  of  those  who  are  ordained,  and  the 
form  of  the  sacrament  consists  of  the  w^ords  which  accompany  the  im- 
position of  hands,  and  the  presentation  of  the  sacred  vessels. 

III.  It  is,  therefore,  the  sacrament  of  Holy  Orders  which  consecrates 
priests  and  gives  ministers  to  the  Church.  Without  this  sacrament, 
no  one  may  exercise  the  functions  of  the  holy  ministry,  no  one  may 
fulfill  the  functions  as  pastor,  or  celebrate  the  sacred  mysteries,  or 
hear  confessions,  or  preach  the  word  of  God,  or  bless  your  marriage. 
Therefore,  without  Holy  Orders,  there  would  be  neither  worship  nor 
religion. 

But  let  us  enter  deeper  into  this  matter,  and  let  us  examine  more  in 
detail  what  the  sacrament  of  Holy  Orders  consists  of,  and  what  are  the 
various  degrees  through  which  one  has  to  pass  in  order  to  become  a 
priest  of  God. 

IV.  In  the  first  place,  there  is  what  we  call  tonsure.  This  is  only 
a  preparatory  ceremony  before  Holy  Orders.  Nevertheless,  those 
who  have  received  it  bear  the  name  of  clerics  and  form  a  part 
of  the  sacred  militia.  The  bishop  when  giving  tonsure  cuts  off 
a  portion  of  the  hair  of  those  that  receive  it,  in  order  to  point  out 
their  renunciation  of  the  joys  and  vanities  of  the  world,  and  their 
consecration  to  the  service  of  God  and  to  the  ministry  of  the  holy 
altar. 

Then  come  the  four  minor  orders  of  acolyte,  exorcist,  reader,  and 
porter.  They  are  called  minor  orders,  not  because  they  are  not  very 
honorable  in  themselves,  for  everything  is  great,  everything  is  noble, 
in  the  Church,  but  because  they  are  subordinate  to  the  major  orders 
w^hich  follow. 

The  first  of  the  minor  orders,  after  the  tonsure,  is  that  of  porter  or 
doorkeeper.  The  functions  of  those  who  have  received  it  are  to  open 
and  to  close  the  doors  of  the  Church,  to  ring  the  bells  for  the  begin- 
ning of  divine  service,  to  watch  over  the  cleanliness  of  the  house  of 
the  Lord,  and  to  prevent  it  from  being  profaned. 


ON  HOLY  ORDERS  eoi 

The  second  minor  order  is  that  of  exorcist,  which  contains  the 
power  to  expel  the  devil  from  the  body  of  the  possessed.  The  func- 
tions of  those  who  have  received  it  are  to  prepare  the  water  and  other 
things  the  Church  employs  in  the  blessings  and  exorcisms.  As  demo- 
niacal possession  is  much  rarer  now  than  formerly,  it  is  the  custom  of 
the  present  day  for  exorcism  to  be  made  by  the  bishops,  or  priests  com- 
missioned by  them,  and,  as  a  rule,  it  is  forbidden  not  only  to  those  that 
are  not  priests,  but  even  to  priests  themselves,  to  perform  exorcisms, 
on  account  of  the  great  prudence  which  this  sacred  office  requires. 
Parish  priests  are  only  authorized  to  exorcise  insects  which  devour  the 
harvests. 

The  third  minor  order  is  that  of  reader.  His  functions  a.re  to  read 
or  to  sing  the  lessons  which  are  said  in  the  offices  of  the  Church,  ex- 
cept the  epistle  of  the  Mass,  and  to  teach  Christian  doctrine  to  the 
children. 

The  fourth  and  last  of  the  minor  orders  is  that  of  acolyte.  He  is 
charged  to  light  and  extinguish  the  candles  used  in  divine  service,  to 
carry  them  during  Mass  and  other  offices,  to  prepare  the  water  and 
wine  for  the  holy  sacrifice,  and  to  serve  solemnly  at  Mass. 

During  several  centuries  only  ecclesiastics  consecrated  for  this  pur- 
pose could  exercise  the  functions  of  the  four  minor  orders,  and  it  is 
only  because  there  is  not  a  sufficient  number  of  candidates  that  the 
Church  to-day  permits  laymen  to  fulfill  them.  When,  therefore,  the 
latter  are  employed  for  some  of  these  sacred  functions,  they  ought  to 
perform  them  with  a  spirit  of  religion  and  humility,  esteeming  them- 
selves happy  to  contribute  thus  towards  the  glory  of  God  and  towards 
the  majesty  of  His  worship. 

After  the  candidates  have  passed  some  time  in  the  minor  orders, 
the  Church  raises  them  by  degrees  to  the  major  or  sacred  orders,  which 
are  the  subdeaconship,  the  deaconship,  and  the  priesthood.  The  order 
of  priest  comprises  both  the  priesthood  and  the  "Episcopacy. 

The  subdeacon  vows  perpetual  chastity,  and  binds  hiinself  to  recite 
the  divine  office  and  to  wear  the  ecclesiastical  habit.  These  promises 
are  irrevocable,  and  he  is  no  longer  permitted  to  return  to  the  world. 
His  functions  are  to  serve  the  deacon  at  the  altar  and  to  sing  the 
epistle.  He  receives,  in  this  order,  the  power  to  touch  the  sacred 
linen  and  vessels. 

The  functions  of  the  deacon  are  to  attend  and  assist  the  priest  at 
Mass,   to   read  the   Gospel,  and,  with  the  permission  of  the  bishop, 


502 


FOURTH  PART.    XXIII.   INSTRUCTION 


to  preach  publicly  and  to  administer  solemnly  the  sacrament  of 
baptism. 

The  last  of  the  sacred  orders  is  that  of  the  priesthood . 

The  functions  of  the  priest  are  to  offer  up  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass,  to  administer  the  sacraments,  except  those  of  confirmation  and 
Holy  Orders,  to  preach  the  word  of  God,  and  to  perform  the  most  of 
the  blessings  used  in  the  Church. 

The  bishop  ordains  priests,  administers  confirmation  to  the  faithful, 
appoints  the  parish  priests,  decides  controversies  of  faith,  consecrates 
other  bishops,  and,  finally,  rules  his  whole  diocese,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  bishop  of  bishops,  the  supreme  head  of  the  Church,  who 
is  our  holy  father  the  Pope.  The  episcopate  is  the  complement  of 
Holy  Ordefs,  the  highest  degree  of  the  priesthood,  that  which  con- 
tains the  whole  dignity  and  plenitude  of  the  priesthood.  All  the 
inferior  orders,  like  so  many  steps  in  mounting  to  the  altar  of  God, 
form  but  one  and  the  same  sacrament  of  holy  orders. 

V.  Let  us  consider  the  excellence  of  this  sacrament,  and  the  effect 
w^hich  it  produces  in  those  who  receive  it.  To  mortal  eyes,  the  priest 
is,  indeed,  only  a  man  like  the  rest  of  men,  subject  to  the  same  mis- 
eries and  to  the  same  infirmities.  But  to  the  eyes  of  faith,  this  dignity 
is  the  most  holy,  the  most  noble,  and  the  most  august  upon  earth.  He 
is  the  representative  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  depository  of  His  oracles,  the 
dispenser  of  His  sacred  mysteries.  What  an  astonishing  power  has 
he  not  received !  The  priest  ascends  the  altar,  and  Jesus  Christ  obeys 
his  call,  comes  down  from  heaven,  and  comes  to  incarnate  Himself, 
as  St.  Augustine  remarks,  in  the  hands  of  the  priest,  as  He  once 
did  in  the  bosom  of  His  blessed  Mother.  The  priest  sits  in  the 
sacred  tribunal  of  penance,  and  by  one  word  he  restores  innocence  to 
the  guilty,  reconciles  him  with  his  God,  and  reopens  to  him  the  gates 
of  heaven.  He  mounts  the  pulpit  and  announces  to  the  people  the 
truths  of  the  Gospel,  the  word  of  God  Himself;  he  enlightens  the 
mind  and  touches  the  heart ;  he  teaches  the  principles  of  faith  and 
the  duties  of  a  Christian  life  and  exhorts  us  to  practice  them,  he 
continues  the  wholesome  and  glorious  ministry  of  Jesus  Christ  Him- 
self. What  our  divine  Saviour  did  during  His  mortal  life  the  priest 
now  does  in  His  name ;  hence,  the  saying  of  one  of  the  Fathers  of  the 
Church  that  the  priest  is  another  Christ:   Saccrdos  alter  Christus. 

The  Fathers  of  the  Church  could  not  find  terms  worthy  enough  to 
point  out  the  eminent  dignity  of  the  priesthood.     The  dignity  of  a 


ON   HOLY  ORDERS  ^O^ 

priest  is  immense,  infinite ;  it  surpasses  immeasurably  the  majesty  and 
glory  of  all  the  dignities  of  this  world.  What  is  the  dignity  of  the 
kings  and  princes  of  this  world?  Hardly  a  shadow  when  compared 
with  the  dignity  of  the  priesthood.  What  is  the  dignity  of  the  angels 
themselves,  who  stand  before  the  throne  of  God  and  minister  to  His 
will?  It  is  far  below  that  of  a  priest.  To  priests  and  not  to  angels 
has  been  given  the  power  to  absolve  from  sins,  to  change  the  bread  and 
wine  into  the  body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ. 

VI.  What  are  the  duties  which  you  owe  to  the  priests?  ist.  You 
owe  them  respect.  Their  eminent  dignity  explains  this  duty  suffi- 
ciently. They  hold  the  place  of  Jesus  Christ  here  upon  earth,  and 
whatever  you  should  do  against  the  least  among  them  you  would  do 
against  Jesus  Christ  Himself.  To  despise  them  would  be  to  despise 
Jesus  Christ.  Touch  not  my  anointed.,  says  the  Holy  Ghost  (I  Par. 
XVI.  22).  Be  on  your  guard  not  to  blame  or  to  despise  them,  or  turn 
them  into  ridicule.  And  if  a  priest  should  happen  to  fail  in  his  duties, 
—  which  God  forbid!  —  throw  a  mantle  of  charity  over  his  conduct; 
be  content  with  sighing  in  your  heart,  and  praying  for  his  conver- 
sion. 

2d.  You  owe  to  the  priest  obedience  in  everything  that  regards 
your  salvation.  It  is  only  under  this  condition  that  a  pastor  can  as- 
sume the  administration  of  a  parish.  If  he  forbids  certain  reunions  or 
profane  amusements,  which  might  cause  disorder,  you  must  submit 
yourselves.  See  in  his  person  the  person  of  Christ  Himself  whom  he 
represents  among  you,  and  obey  him  as  you  would  obey  our  Saviour 
Himself. 

3d.  Finally,  you  owe  conjidence  to  your  priests;  and,  more  yet,  you 
owe  them  affection  and  thankfulness.  What  services  does  not  a  priest 
render  to  the  faithful  intrusted  to  his  care?  Hardly  are  you  born 
when  he  is  there  to  lead  you  to  the  threshold  of  life,  to  open  to  you 
the  gates  of  the  Church,  and  to  make  you  children  of  God.  As  soon  as 
your  reason  commences  to  develop,  he  is  there  to  instruct,  to  direct 
you  in  the  good  way,  to  prepare  you  for  the  great  acts  of  first  commun- 
ions and  confirmation.  Later,  when  you  think  about  your  vocation,  it 
is  the  priest  again  who  will  prepare  you  for  this  and  bless  your  mar- 
riage. When  misfortune  befalls  you,  when  you  are  afflicted  or  in  need, 
it  is  the  priest  who  most  often  comes  to  assist  you  and  to  console  you ; 
when  you  are  sick,  he  will  visit  and  encourage  you ;  and  when  death 
draws  near,  he  will  not  leave  your  bedside  without  having  given  you 


504 


FOURTH   PART.     XXIII.  INSTRUCTION 


all  the  helps  of  religion,  without  having  done  all  in  his  power  to  put 
you  in  a  state  worthy  to  appear  before  the  Supreme  Judge.  Finally,, 
after  your  death,  he  will  pray  for  your  eternal  rest. 

In  fact,  my  brethren,  is  there  anybody  in  this  world  to  whom  you 
owe  more  than  to  the  priest.''  How,  then,  can  we  explain  that  hatred, 
and  even  furious  wrath,  which  certain  people  nourish  against  him? 
How  can  we  explain  all  those  bitter  criticisms  and  all  those  atrocious, 
calumnies  with  which  one  so  often  seeks  to  blacken  his  character?  I 
do  not  speak  of  you  here  present,  my  dear  brethren,  for  I  know  how 
this  congregation  has  always  loved  and  respected  its  priests.  But  I 
speak  in  general,  and  I  say  that  it  is  something  very  sad  and  deplor- 
able to  see  the  little  respect,  confidence,  and  affection  which  some  ex- 
hibit to-day  for  the  representatives  of  Jesus  Christ.  Do  not  imitate 
them,  but  continue  to  esteem  your  priests,  and  keep  away  from  those 
blind  and  prejudiced  persons.  In  your  reunions,  in  your  families, 
never  censure  the  priest,  whosoever  he  may  be,  and,  if  you  c%n,  hinder 
others  from  doing  so.  In  honoring  the  priest,  you  will  honor  your  re- 
ligion, you  will  honor  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  who  will  bless  you  and 
reward  you. 

There  remains  for  me  another  question  to  treat  briefly.  Who  are 
those  who  may  aspire  to  be  raised  to  the  dignity  of  the  priesthood? 
Ask  this  of  Jesus  Christ  Himself;  for  only  those  whom  God  calls  may  as- 
pire to  this  honor.  If  there  is  a  particular  vocation  for  every  state  of  life, 
how  much  more  for  so  holy  and  sublime  a  calling !  Vocation  is  neces- 
sary ;  but  there  are  also  certain  qualities  of  mind  and  heart  which  the 
Church  requires  in  her  candidates.  Therefore,  how  rashly  and  sense- 
lessly do  those  parents  talk,  who  say :  *^  I  want  this  child  to  become  a 
priest.**  .  .  .  Tou  desire,  indeed;  but  does  God  desire  it.  Has  the 
child  an  inclination  for  this  holy  state?  Has  he  piety,  has  he  the  nec- 
essary talents?  If  not,  then  beware  of  forcing  him  into  the  eccle- 
siastical state.  You  would  make  a  bad  priest  of  him.  And  may  God 
preserve  every  parish  from  a  bad  priest,  as  from  the  greatest  evil!  But 
if  your  child  seems  to  have  all  the  necessary  qualities,  and,  especially,  a 
great  inclination  for  the  ecclesiastical  state,  then,  if  you  can  do  so,  fur- 
nish him  the  means  for  following  this  holy  career.  Impose  upon  your- 
selves, if  necessary,  some  privations  and  sacrifices.  It  is  the  best 
service  which  you  can  render  your  boy,  not  for  his  temporal  advan- 
tages, indeed,  for  we  live  in  a  time  and  a  country  where  the  holy  min- 
istry is  an  ungrateful  and  difficult  state,  but  for  the  good  of  his  souL 


ON  MATRIMONY 


505 


And,  especially,  will  you  render  a  great  service  to  the  Church,  your 
good  mother,  that  is  never  more  happy  than  when  she  can  recruit  good 
and  holy  priests ;  and  at  the  same  time  you  procure  for  yourselves  be- 
fore God  a  powerful  intercessor  who  will  not  fail  to  obtain  for  you  a 
great  abundance  of  graces,  both  for  you  and  your  family. 


XXIV.     INSTRUCTION 
*^  On  Matrimony 

I.  Marriage  has  been  instituted  since  the  beginning  of  the  world. 
It  was  God  Himself  who  instituted  it  when  He  gave  Eve  to  Adam  for 
a  companion  :  It  is  not  good ^  said  the  Lord,y<?r  man  to  be  alone;  let  us 
make  him  a  help  like  unto  hitnself  (Gen.  11.  18).  Adam  in  receiving 
Eve,  said  :  This  now  is  bone  of  my  bones ^  and  Jlesh  of  my  Jlesh;  ivhere- 
for  man  shall  leave  father  and  mother,  and  shall  cleave  to  his  wife 
(Gen.  II.  23-34).  And  God  blessed  them  and  said:  Increase  and 
multiply  and  fill  the  earth  (Gen.  i.  28). 

In  these  words  of  Holy  Scripture  we  see  not  only  the  institution  of 
marriage  but  also  the  two  principal  reasons  for  which  it  has  been 
established.  The  first  is  to  establish  a  bond  of  mutual  help  between 
the  man  and  the  woman  ;  and  the  second,  to  procure  for  God,  in  the 
propagation  of  mankind,  a  multitude  of  worshipers  who,  after  having 
honored  and  served  him  upon  earth,  will  glorify  Him  eternally  in 
heaven. 

In  these  we  see,  also,  the  nature  and  essence  of  marriage,  that  is, 
the  union  of  man  with  only  one  woman  and  not  with  several,  and 
they  shall  be  two  in  one  fiesh.  .  .  .  It  is  the  most  intimate  union 
which  nature  can  form,  because  it  should  be  precisely  that  which  ex- 
ists between  the  father  and  the  child ;  and,  finally,  the  most  indissolu- 
ble union,  because,  as  Jesus  Christ  teaches,  it  can  be  broken  only  by 
death  :  What,  therefore,  God  hath  joined  together,  let  no  man  put 
asunder  (Matt.  xix.  3).  Before  Jesus  Christ  marriage  was  already 
indissoluble,  and  God  permitted  divorce  to  the  Jews  only  on  account 


5o6 


FOURTH   PART.     XXIV.  INSTRUCTION 


of  their  hard-heartedness.  Our  Saviour  restored  marriage  to  its  primi- 
tive purity  and  raised  it  to  the  dignity  of  a  sacrament.  The  Church, 
faithful  depository  and  interpreter  of  the  teachings  of  the  divine  Mas- 
ter, has  always  proclaimed  the  indissolubility  of  marriage  and  con- 
demned divorce ;  she  has  always  declared  that  the  conjugal  tie  can 
be  broken  only  by  death. 

II.  Before  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  marriage  was  only  a  civil 
contract  by  which  a  man  united  himself  inseparably  to  a  woman,  con- 
formably to  the  laws  of  the  country.  This  contract,  although  it  was 
ordinarily  made  in  the  temples,  or  at  least  in  the  presence  of  priests, 
and  with  all  the  solemnity  of  the  religious  ceremonies,  had  no  power 
to  produce  grace.  It  had  no  other  effect  than  to  guarantee  the  society 
of  the  spouses  against  the  inconstancy  and  caprices  of  the  human  pas- 
sions, to  legitimize  the  children,  and  to  assure  peace  and  union  in  the 
family. 

But  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  knowing  all  the  duties,  troubles,  and 
dangers  of  married  life,  and  wishing  to  enrich  it  with  quite  particular 
blessings,  and  to  make  it  a  permanent  source  of  grace,  raised  it  to  the 
dignity  of  a  sacrament.  According  to  the  common  opinion  of  theo- 
logians, He  did  this  when  He  assisted  at  the  nuptials  of  Cana,  where 
He  blessed  and  not  only  sanctified  the  marriage  contracted  there,  but 
also  marriage  in  general.  Marriage,  since  the  beginning  of  Chris- 
tianity, has  always  been  acknowledged  as  a  sacrament  of  the  Church, 
and  the  holy  Council  of  Trent  decrees  anathema  against  any  one  who 
dares  to  maintain  that  this  sacrament  has  not  been  instituted  by  Jesus 
Christ,  and  that  it  does  not  confer  grace. 

Therefore,  if  you  ask  what  marriage  is,  under  the  New  Law,  I 
ansv^rer  that  it  is  a  sacrament  which  sanctifies  the  legitimate  union 
between  a  man  and  a  woman,  and  gives  them  the  necessary  graces  to 
fulfill  the  duties  of  their  state.  The  visible  sign,  which  is  also  the 
matter,  is  the  joining  of  hands  and  the  mutual  consent  of  the  spouses 
expressed  in  words ;  and  the  form  is  the  blessing  of  the  priest  and  the 
consent  of  the  contracting  parties.  The  minister  of  the  sacrament  is 
the  priest,  according  to  some  ;  according  to  others,  the  contracting 
parties  themselves. 

But  remark  that  when  we  say  that  the  sacrament  of  marriage  sanc- 
tifies the  union  of  man  and  woman,  we  add  the  legitiviate  union,  to 
give  you  to  understand  that,  in  order  that  this  sacrament  may  bring 
down  grace  on  the  married  parties,  it  must  be  contracted  according  to 


ON  MATRIMONY 


507 


the  laws  of  the  Church.  In  this  important  and  grave  matter  God  has 
placed  the  power  of  the  Church  as  a  check  on  the  caprices  and  pas- 
sions of  man,  to  stop  all  disorder  and  to  hinder  certain  unions  which 
would  be  contrary  to  good  morals  and  detrimental  to  society.  Hence 
the  impediments  of  marriage.  These  are  of  two  kinds  :  the  first  kind 
is  invalidating,  and  renders  the  marriage  null  and  void ;  the  second 
is  prohibitory^  and  renders  the  marriage  only  unlawful,  but  not  null 
and  void. 

III.  Among  the  first,  which  are  fifteen  in  number,  I  shall  mention 
particularly:  ist.  Religious  Profession  and  the  Reception  of  Holy 
Orders. — If  one  is  consecrated  to  God  by  the  religious  life,  by  a 
solemn  vow  of  chastity,  or  for  the  service  of  the  altar,  one  can  no 
longer  contract  marriage ;  2d.  Natural  Relationship  which  does  not 
permit  marriage  among  kindred  down  to  the  fourth  degree  inclusive ; 
3d.  Spiritual  Relationship  which  is  contracted  in  baptism,  and  which 
forbids  a  godfather  to  marry  his  goddaughter,  or  her  mother;  and  a 
godmother  to  marry  her  godson,  or  his  father;. 4th.  Alliance  or  Affin- 
ity, which  is  contracted  between  the  husband  and  the  parents  of  his 
wife ;  and  between  the  wife  and  the  parents  of  her  husband,  and 
which  extends  to  the  fourth  degree  when  the  intercourse  has  been 
legitimate,  and  to  the  second  degree,  when  it  has  been  criminal ;  5th. 
Clandestinity ,  which  renders  null  and  void  every  marriage  that  is 
not  contracted  in  presence  of  the  parish  priest,  or  of  any  other  priest 
commissioned  by  him  or  by  the  bishop,  and  of  two  witnesses,  at 
least,  in  all  countries  where  the  decrees  of  the  Council  of  Trent 
have  been  published.  In  the  United  States  there  are  only  a  few 
dioceses  where  these  decrees  have  been  published ;  consequently, 
marriage  would  be  valid  here  even  if  it  were  not  contracted  before 
a  priest. 

It  is  in  order  to  discover  these  impediments  and  others  which  it 
would  take  too  long  to  enumerate,  that  the  Church  has  established  the 
banns  or  publications  of  marriage,  which  ought  to  be  made  for  three 
consecutive  Sundays  in  the  parish  Church  of  each  of  the  persons  to  be 
married.  Without  a  proper  dispensation,  none  of  these  publications 
can  be  omitted.  A  person  who  may  know  of  any  impediments  is 
obliged,  in  conscience,  to  inform  the  parish  priest.  And  those  who 
have  had  the  misfortune  to  marry  with  any  invalidating  impediment 
ought  to  hasten  to  rehabilitate  their  marriage  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Church. 


5o8 


FOURTH  PART.     XXIV.   INSTRUCTION 


Besides  these  invalidating  impediments,  there  are  others,  we  have 
said,  which  we  call  prohibitory ,  and  which,  without  rendering  mar- 
riage null  and  void,  would  render  it  nevertheless  unlawful.  Such  are: 
ist.  The  Prohibition  of  the  Churchy  which  comprises  the  omission  of 
publication  of  the  banns,  and  the  forbidden  times,  extending  from  the 
first  Sunday  of  Advent  until  Epiphany,  inclusively,  and  from  the  first 
Sunday  of  Lent  until  the  first  Sunday  after  Easter,  inclusively ;  2d.  A 
Promise  of  Marriage  made  to  another  person  ;  3d.  The  Simple  Vozv 
of  Chastity^  or  the  vow  never  to  marry. 

But  the  author  of  a  law  can  also  dispense  with  it.  Consequently, 
wise  and  necessary  though  these  impediments  are,  if  cases  arise  where 
there  are  good  motives  to  obtain  dispensation  thereof,  as  often  hap- 
pens, one  only  needs  to  ask  for  dispensation  ;  the  Church  never  refuses 
to  grant  it.  But  one  must  be  careful  to  give  a  true  statement  of  the 
case,  otherwise  the  dispensation  obtained  might  be  null  and  void  in 
its  effect. 

IV.  The  sacrament  of  matrimony,  which  sanctifies  the  legitimate 
union  of  man  and  woman,  is  a  great  sacrament,  says  the  apostle  St. 
Paul :  This  is  a  great  sacrament  (Ephes.  v.  32).  It  is  great,  because 
it  symbolizes  the  intimate  and  ineffable  union  of  Jesus  Christ  with 
His  Church  :  But  I  speak  in  Christ  and  in  the  Church  (Ephes.  v. 
32).  But  it  is  great,  also,  because  it  confers  upon  the  married  couple 
the  graces  they  need  to  fulfill  the  obligations  of  their  state.  Let  us 
say  a  few  words  about  these  obligations.  They  may  be  reduced  to 
four  principal  ones,  which  are,  to  live  in  union  and  charity,  to  bear 
with  one  another's  faults,  conjugal  fidelity,  and,  finally,  to  give  a 
good  education  to  the  children. 

1st.  Married  persons  ought  to  live  in  union  and  charity.  They 
are  obliged  to  live  together,  and  can  be  bodily  separated  only  for 
grave  reasons.  A  wife  who  should  leave  her  husband,  or  a  husband 
who  should  abandon  his  wife,  without  a  serious  motive,  would  be  a 
subject  of  scandal,  and  they  would  render  themselves  very  guilty  be- 
fore God. 

Living  under  the  same  roof,  united  by  the  most  intimate  and  indis- 
soluble of  ties,  the  married  couple  ought  to  love  each  other  with  a 
real  and  constant  love,  with  a  holy  love,  of  which  God  is  the  prin- 
cipal object.  Consequently,  they  ought  to  assist  and  encourage  one 
another  to  fulfill  their  duties  of  religion,  charitably  admonish  one  an- 
other of  their  faults,  and  correct  their  faults,  for,  as  St.  Paul  says  : 


ON  MATRIMONY 


509 


The  unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  by  the  believing  ivife;  and  the 
unbelieving  wife  is  sanctified  by  the  believing  husband  (I.  Cor.  vii. 
14).  Let  the  husband  love  his  wife  as  his  own  flesh,  and  as  Jesus 
Christ  has  loved  His  Church,  and,  consequently,  with  a  spiritual,  but 
tender  and  generous,  love;  let  the  wife  love  her  husband  as  the 
Church  loves  Jesus  Christ,  that  is,  with  a  respectful  and  submissive 
love.  The  wife  must  be  subject  to  her  husband  in  all  that  regards 
marriage,  or  the  government  of  the  house,  provided  that  there  is  in 
both  nothing  contrary  to  the  law  of  God.  Christian  wives,  you  owe 
obedience  to  your  husbands,  but  only  in  what  the  sanctity  of  marriage 
or  the  law  of  God  permits  you. 

2d.  Zb  Bear  with  One  Another'' s  Faults.  —  We  all  have  faults, 
and  he  that  should  believe  himself  free  therefrom  would  show  himself 
senseless.  Therefore,  if  we  desire  that  others  should  bear  ours,  we 
must  charitably  bear  the  faults  of  others :  Bear  ye  one  another^ s  bur- 
dens (Gal.  VI.  2).  And  it  is  especially  in  married  life  that  this 
forbearance  is  necessary.  Since  the  married  couple  are  almost  contin- 
ually together,  how  could  husbands  and  wives  live  in  union  and  peace 
without  patience  and  resignation?  **But,**  says  one,  **  my  wife  is  so 
quarrelsome,  she  is  such  an  enemy  of  all  work,  she  is  so  capricious !  " 
But  you,  my  dear  man,  are  you  not  given  to  fits  of  passion,  to  intem- 
perance? Have  you  been  providing  everything  necessary  for  the 
household?  Your  wife  has  faults  —  yes,  undoubtedly;  but  you  are  not 
free  from  them  either.  Learn  to  be  patient  and  to  bear  one  another's 
faults.  If  you  do  this  cheerfully  and  out  of  love  for  God,  you  can  ac- 
quire many  merits.  And  whilst  quarreling  and  fits  of  passion  would 
make  a  hell  of  your  household,  on  the  contrary,  if  you  are  kind,  pa- 
tient, and  charitable,  you  will  live  in  happiness,  and  will  draw  upon 
you  and  upon  your  children  the  blessings  of  heaven. 

3d.  Conjugal  Fidelity. — This  is  a  solemn  engagement  which  the 
married  couple  have  contracted  before  the  altar  of  God.  To  fail  in 
conjugal  fidelity  would  be  a  crime  of  which  the  thought  alone  makes 
us  shudder.  And  who  can  form  an  idea  of  all  the  quarrels,  of  all  the 
divisions,  of  all  the  calamities  which  follow  in  its  train !  Christian 
husbands  and  wives,  watch  over  your  conduct,  so  that  you  may  not 
give  room  even  to  the  least  suspicion. 

4th.  To  Give  a  Good  and  Holy  Education  to  Their  Children.  — 
I  shall  not  insist  much  on  this  point,  because  I  have  explained  it  suffi- 
ciently under  the  head  of  the  Fourth  Commandment.     Suffice  to  recall 


CIO  FOURTH   PART.     XXIV.  INSTRUCTION 

to  your  mind  that  you  should  instruct  your  children  in  all  the  truths 
of  our  holy  religion,  as  well  as  in  all  its  duties  and  practices.  You 
should  be  careful  that  they  fulfill  faithfully  all  their  religious  duties, 
such  as  prayer,  confession,  attendance  at  divine  service;  you  should 
give  them  good  example,  and  never  scandalize  them  ;  and  you  should 
correct  their  faults  and  keep  them  away  from  bad  company. 

V.  Is  it  thus,  Christian  husbands  and  wives,  that  you  have  fulfilled 
your  obligations?  Have  union  and  charity  reigned  in  your  household? 
Have  you  borne  the  faults  of  one  another?  How  have  you  acquitted 
yourselves  of  the  duties  towards  your  children  ?  Perhaps  you  will  be 
painfully  astonished  at  your  negligence.  Consider  the  examples  of 
the  saints.  Consider  the  pure  and  edifying  life  of  Zacharias  and 
Elizabeth,  of  whom  the  Gospel  speaks.  They  were  both  just  in  the 
eyes  of  God.  They  loved  one  another  with  a  pure  and  innocent  love, 
and  the  most  perfect  unity  reigned  between  them.  The  fear  of  God 
with  which  they  were  penetrated  rendered  them  strict  observants  of 
the  law  :  Walking  in  all  the  commandments  (Luke  i.  6).  What  holy 
enjoyments,  and  what  happiness  would  be  yours,  my  brethren,  if  you 
would  imitate  such  models !  What  a  subject  of  edification  for  you. 
Christian  husband,  in  the  conduct  of  the  holy  man  Job  who,  hearing 
his  wife  complaining  against  God,  contents  himself  with  reproaching 
her  in  a  charitable  manner,  and  representing  to  her  that  we  must  sub- 
mit ourselves  to  divine  Providence,  as  well  in  evils  as  in  the  good. 
And  what  a  model  for  you.  Christian  wives,  is  the  conduct  of  St. 
Monica  who,  by  her  kindness  and  patience,  by  her  good  example  and 
by  prayer,  succeeded  in  bringing  back  to  God  her  husband  and  son. 
In  following  these  beautiful  examples,  you  will  draw  down  upon  your- 
selves the  blessing  of  God,  you  will  sanctify  yourselves  mutually,  and 
you  will  merit  to  remain  forever  united  in  the  bosom  of  a  happy 
eternity,  which  I  wish  to  you  all.     Amen. 


ON   MATRIMONY  en 

XXV.     INSTRUCTION 
On  Matrimony   (  Concluded) 

After  having  spoken  to  you  of  the  institution  of  the  sacrament  of 
matrimony,  of  the  nature  of  this  sacrament,  of  the  laws  which  regulate 
it,  of  the  effects  which  it  produces,  and  of  the  obligations  it  imposes, 
I  am  going  to  instruct  you  to-day  on  the  dispositions  necessary  to 
receive  it.  When  we  see  so  many  unhappy  marriages,  so  many  hus- 
bands and  wives  in  disunion,  in  misery,  and  on  the  way  to  damnation, 
we  ask  ourselves  what  is  the  reason?  Ah!  undoubtedly,  the  cause  lies 
in  the  little  care  people  take  to  prepare  themselves  for  this  holy  state. 
This  instruction  is  addressed  to  both  married  and  unmarried  persons. 
The  unmarried  may  learn  how  they  ought  to  dispose  themselves  in 
order  to  contract  a  Christian  union ;  and  the  married,  in  considering 
what  they  ought  to  have  done  and  what  they  have  not  done,  will  take 
occasion  from  this  to  repair  whatever  may  have  been  defective  in 
the  manner  in  which  they  have  received  this  sacrament. 

What  are  the  dispositions  one  must  bring  to  the  sacrament  of  mat- 
rimony ?  They  are  three  in  number  :  vocation  to  marriage,  a  pure 
and  upright  intention,  and  the  state  of  grace. 

I.  Vocation  to  the  Married  State. —  We  are  not  all  called  to  the 
same  kind  of  life;  some  are  destined  for  marriage  and  others  for  celib- 
acy; some  to  live  in  the  world  and  others  in  the  cloister.  There  are 
different  manners  of  life,  but  all  lead  to  heaven.  Each  one  should 
follow  that  course  which  God  has  marked  out  for  him,  and  adopt  the 
state  to  which  he  is  destined,  other^vise  he  would  expose  himself  to 
be  unfortunate,  not  only  in  this  world,  through  the  uneasiness  and  suf- 
fering which  he  would  undergo  in  a  vocation  which  was  not  his  own, 
but,  also,  in  the  next  world,  on  account  of  the  more  numerous  dangers 
to  which  he  would  find  himself  exposed,  and  the  particular  helps  of 
grace  which  would  be  wanting  to  him. 

It  is,  therefore,  supremely  important  that  each  one  should  know 
his  vocation.  But  how  can  we  know  our  vocation.?  In  the  first  place, 
we  must  consult  God,  because  it  is  He  and  He  alone  who  gives  us  our 
vocation,  just  as  a  master  determines  the  occupation  of  each  of  his 
servants,  or  as  a  father  distributes  work  to  each  of  his  children.  It  is 
necessary,  therefore,  to  pray,  and  to  pray  fervently;  then  to  examine 
what  is  our  attraction,  that  is,  to  what  state  we  feel  ourselves  most 


512 


FOURTH   PART.      XXV.   INSTRUCTION 


inclined,  and  what  our  physical  and  moral  qualities  are;  for  God  nevei 
calls  a  person  to  a  state  the  duties  of  which  he  cannot  fulfill. 

After  a  young  man  has  assured  himself  that  he  is  called  to  the 
marriage  state,  all  is  not  over;  he  must  also  seek  to  know  who  the  per- 
son is  whom  God  has  destined  for  him  ;  for,  from  the  moment  God 
calls  you  to  the  married  state,  He  has  chosen  for  you  your  companion; 
and  it  is  with  this  one  and  with  no  other  that  you  must  unite  yourself. 
If  in  this  you  do  the  will  of  God,  your  marriage  will  be  well  matched, 
pure,  and  happy,  and  you  will  save  yourself  more  easily.  If,  on  the 
contrary,  you  follow  mere  passion  and  inclination,  you  are  preparing 
trials  and  dangers  for  the  future.  Hence,  if,  after  having  consulted 
God,  you  decide  to  marry,  pray  to  the  Lord  to  make  known  to  you  the 
one  who  is  to  be  your  companion,  as  Eliezer  did,  when  he  sought  a 
wife  for  his  master  :  Lord,  enlighten  me  and  skoiv  me  Thyself  her 
ivhom.  Thou  hast  destined  for  Isaac,  Thy  servant.  You  should  also 
consult  your  confessor,  in  order  that  he  may  give  you  the  proper 
advice,  and  caution  you  against  the  temptations  and  dangers  to  which 
you  might  be  exposed.  Finally,  you  should  consult  your  parents,  who 
are  for  you  the  representatives  of  God;  and  in  such  an  important  affair 
you  should,  as  a  rule,  act  only  with  their  advice.  Nature,  religion, 
and  even  human  laws,  impose  this  as  a  duty  upon  you,  but  it  is  espe- 
cially your  own  interest  which  requires  this.  For  your  parents  love 
you,  and  desire  your  happiness,  and  on  account  of  their  experience 
and  the  calmness  of  their  reasoning,  they  see  better  than  you  do  what 
is  good  for  you,  since  you  are  inclined  to  be  led  in  such  matters  by 
infatuation  and  passion,  rather  than  by  reason. 

This  is  what  you  must  do,  my  brethren,  to  know  the  state  to  which 
you  are  called.  But  how  many  young  persons  there  are  who,  instead 
of  consulting  religion  and  experience,  listen  only  to  the  voice  of  their 
passions  and  their  momentary  tastes!  How  many  do  we  not  see  who, 
far  from  consulting,  do  not  even  wish  to  be  advised,  and  who  refuse 
to  listen  to  observations,  or  even  remonstrances,  of  persons  to  whom 
they  owe  obedience  and  respect.  ^*  I  shall  marry  him  or  her  in  spite 
of  you,*^  we  hear  young  persons  say  to  their  parents  who  try  to  dis- 
suade them  from  an  improper  marriage,  and  the  parents,  in  order  to 
avoid  the  gravest  inconvenience,  end  by  giving  their  consent.  And 
what  often  results?  Since  they  are  marriages  which  God  does  not 
bless,  they  are  most  often  unhappy  marriages,  and  bring  into  the  fam- 
ily nothing  but  divisions,  hatreds,  discords,  and  sometimes  infidelity 


ON   MATRIMONY 


513 


and  misery.  Of  course,  parents  ought  to  be  prudent  and  reasonable, 
and  never  force  the  will  of  their  children,  or  be  opposed  to  their  legiti- 
mate inclinations ;  but  children,  on  their  part,  ought  to  show  submis- 
sion and  regard  to  the  wishes  of  their  parents,  and  listen  to  their  good 
advices  as  coming  from  God  Himself. 

And  now,  parents  and  children,  do  you  wish  to  know,  in  a  few 
words,  the  qualities  which  should  guide  you  in  your  choice  ?  They  are 
virtue  and  the  similarity  of  morals. 

Young  man,  is  your  intended  one  gentle  and  modest?  Is  she  sub- 
missive to  her  parents ;  has  she  a  taste  for  work,  for  prayer,  for  the 
frequentation  of  the  sacraments?  If  so,  then  marry  her  without  fear; 
she  has  qualities  which  will  insure  your  happiness.  But,  on  the  con- 
trary, if  she  is  vain  and  arrogant,  and  negligent  in  her  religious  duties, 
beware  of  marrying  her;  you  would  bring  a  viper  into  your  family 
circle. 

Young  woman,  is  your  intended  industrious  and  sober?  Does  he 
go  regularly  to  the  sacraments?  If  so  marry  him,  and  be  without 
fear.  But,  on  the  contrary,  is  he  dissipated  and  idle,  does  he  neglect 
the  sacraments,  does  he  frequent  bad  company,  does  he  pass  a  great 
part  of  his  time  in  the  saloons?  Ah !  then,  be  on  your  guard.  If  you 
should  marry  him,  you  would  be  the  most  unhappy  of  wives.  No, 
do  not  marry  him,  even  if  he  promises  to  correct  himself,  for  such 
promises  are  always  made  but  seldom  kept. 

II.  The  second  disposition  which  one  must  bring  to  marriage  is 
a  fure  and  holy  intention.  What  ends  should  one  propose  to  himself 
in  entering  the  married  state?  None  but  those  which  God  Himself 
has  proposed  in  instituting  it. 

The  first  end  which  you  should  have  in  view  is  to  do  the  will  of 
Ood  who  calls  you  to  this  state. 

The  second  is  to  have  children,  not  only  that  they  may  be  heirs  of 
your  name  and  the  support  in  your  old  age,  but,  also,  to  render  them 
worthy  to  possess  and  glorify  God  in  heaven. 

The  third  is  to  withdraw  yourselves  from  the  occasions  of  sin,  and 
from  the  dangers  of  the  flesh  and  the  devil. 

Finally,  the  fourth  is  to  support  each  other  in  the  troubles  of  life, 
to  assist  each  other  in  your  work;  in  one  word,  to  be  a  mutual  help  in 
the  needs  of  body  and  soul. 

Such  are  the  objects  of  marriage.  The  archangel  Raphael  thus 
instructed  the  young  Tobias  :  Thou  shall  take  the  virgin  with  the  fear 
33 


514 


FOURTH   PART.      XXV.   INSTRUCTION 


of  the  Lord ^  moved  rather  for  love  of  children  than  for  lust  (Tob. 
VI.  22). 

Therefore,  it  is  not  through  carnal  or  interested  motives  that  one 
must  enter  the  marriage  state.  The  first  seven  husbands  whom  Sara 
had  married  successively  had  come  with  brutal  and  sensual  views, 
and  the  devil  killed  them  on  the  very  first  night  of  their  nuptials. 
God  always  condemns  and  curses  similar  alliances.  As  regards  the 
temporal  goods  or  exterior  accomplishments  of  the  person  you  have  in 
view,  it  must  never  be  the  principal  motive  that  determines  you  ;  you 
would  find  bitter  deceptions.  Undoubtedly,  religion  does  not  con- 
demn the  seeking  of  temporal  advantages ;  but  what  it  blames,  what 
it  severely  disapproves,  is  that  in  such  an  important  affair  as  marriage, 
a  person  should  permit  himself  to  be  guided  and  directed  by  such  un- 
worthy motives.  And,  nevertheless,  how  many  young  men  and 
women  there  are  who  look  on  the  money  side  of  marriage  !  "  How  much* 
is  she  worth  ?*^  ^*  Oh,  I  can  have  another  much  richer  than  she  is.'^ 
This  is  mere  bargaining.  Marriage  seems  to  have  become  for  many  a 
regular  traffic,  an  affair  of  commerce.  But  is  it  thus  that  one  should 
treat  such  a  grave  and  delicate  affair,  an  affair  which  will  influence  a 
whole  life?  Undoubtedly,  one  may  assure  himself  of  the  financial 
part  of  the  affair ;  this  may  often  be  necessary  and  nobody  can  find 
fault  with  it.  But  what  is  very  blamable  is  the  covetousness,  and 
stupidity  of  those  who  see  in  a  proposal  of  marriage  only  an  affair  of 
money.  Allow  me  to  quote  to  you,  in  spite  of  the  holiness  of  the 
place,  a  very  popular  proverb,  and  one  full  of  sense  :  ^'A  wife  without 
money  is  better  than  money  without  a  wife.*^  An  industrious,  orderly, 
and  economical  wife,  filled  w^ith  the  fear  of  God,  will  easily  cause  a 
house  to  prosper,  if  she  is  seconded  by  her  husband ;  whilst  the  best 
families  are  sometimes  ruined  by  the  carelessness,  idleness,  extrava- 
gance, and  levity  of  women. 

Bring  to  marriage  pure  and  holy  intentions.  Follow  the  example 
of  young  Tobias,  who  prayed :  "  Lord,  Thou  seest  the  intentions  of 
my  heart.  When  I  take  this  maiden  to  be  my  wife,  it  is  only  to  sanc- 
tify myself  with  her,  and  to  raise  in  Thy  fear  the  children  which 
Thou  mayest  give  to  us,  in  order  that  they  may  bless  Thy  holy  name 
for  all  eternity.*^ 

III.  The  third  and  last  disposition  for  marriage  is  the  state  of  grace. 
Matrimony  is  a  sacrament,  and  a  sacrament  of  the  living.  One  would, 
therefore,  commit  a  sacrilege  if  he  were  to  receive  it  in  the  state  of 


ON   MATRIMONY  515 

mortal  sin.  And  not  only  would  he  commit  a  sacrilege,  ])ut  he  would 
also  deprive  himself  of  the  special  graces  that  are  attached  to  this  sac- 
rament, at  least  as  long  as  he  should  remain  in  mortal  sjn.  This  is 
why  the  Church  prescribes  that  those  about  to  be  married  should  go 
to  confession  before  receiving  the  sacrament  of  matrimony; 

But  what  should  this  confession  be?  Is  it  sufficient,  for  instance, 
to  simply  present  oneself  to  the  priest,  as  some  persons  seem  to  under- 
stand this  precept?  Not  at  all.  The  confession  ought  to  be  made 
with  all  the  sentiments  of  contrition  and  a  firm  purpose  of  amendment. 
What  are  we  to  think  of  those  who,  in  spite  of  all  the  entreaties  of 
the  priest,  limit  themselves  to  appearing  once  or  twice  in  the  confes- 
sional, and  then  going  off,  without  absolution,  and  receiving  the  sac- 
rament of  matrimony?  They  add  a  new  mortal  sin  to  all  those  which 
they  have  already  committed,  and,  instead  of  drawing  jdown  the 
blessings  of  heaven  on  the  state  w^hich  they  embrace,  they  incur  the 
anger  of  God.  How  can  they  expect  to  be  happy  after  such  a  bad 
beginning? 

In  order  to  dispose  oneself  well  for  marriage,  you  must  make  a 
sincere  and  sacramental  confession,  and  a  confession  which  puts  you 
again  in  the  state  of  grace  with  God  whom  you  have  offended.  But 
this  confession  ought  not  to  be  put  off  to  the  last  day.  It  should  be 
made  a  few  weeks  beforehand,  especially  when  one,  findsi  himself 
addicted  to  bad  habits,  in  order  that  a  confessor  may  have  time  to 
instruct  the  penitent,  and  subject  him  to  the  necessary  trials.  It  is 
good  to  make  a  general  confession,  if  the  confessor  judges  it  proper. 
To  wait  till  the  last  moment  is  to  expose  oneself  to  do  nothiiig  good 
and  solid.      And,  nevertheless,  how  many  are  careless  in  this  regard ! 

If  confession  is  necessary  to  dispose  you  for  marriage,  a  change 
of  life,  the  correction  of  bad  habits,  the  flight  of  the  occasions  are 
much  more  necessary.  It  is  a  deplorable  thing  to  see  those  long  visits, 
those  secret  meetings,  which  ordinarily  precede  the  nuptial  blessing. 
Undoubtedly,  some  meetings  and  some  interviews  are  necessary, 
but  must  these  relations  last  for  years?  Must  they  take  place  in 
hidden  and  suspicious  places,  or  in  excursions,  picnics,  ...  to 
the  great  scandal  of  persons  who  are  witnesses  thereof?  Must  this 
intercourse  be  accompanied  with  indecent  familiarities,  with  criminal 
liberties?  Do  you  forget  that  you  are  in  the  presence  of  God  who 
sees  you  and  who  will  one  day  judge  you  ?  Is  this  a  proper  prepara- 
tion for  the  holy  state  you  intend  to  embrace  ?    Remember  that  you  are 


5i6 


FOURTH  PART.      XXV.   INSTRUCTION 


Christians ;  be  careful  that  the  interviews  with  the  person  you  have  in 
view  take  place  only  in  the  presence  of  your  parents,  of  your  masters, 
or  of  some  person  worthy  of  respect.  See  that  these  interviews  take 
place  as  seldom  as  possible,  and  be  careful  that  you  always  hold  them 
according  to  the  rules  of  modesty  and  decency. 

Such  are,  my  brethren,  the  dispositions  one  must  bring  to  marriage: 
a  vocation,  a  pure  and  holy  intention,  and  the  state  of  grace. 

Married  persons,  were  these  your  dispositions?  Does  your  con- 
science reproach  you  with  anything  in  this  regard }  Ah  !  if,  unfortu- 
nately, you  have  entered  the  marriage  state  with  evil  intentions,  with  a 
conscience  soiled  with  mortal  sin,  and  if  you  have  not  yet  done  pen- 
ance, do  not  remain  any  longer  in  this  deplorable  state,  but  hasten  to 
throw  yourselves  at  the  feet  of  some  charitable  and  enlightened  confes- 
sor who  will  tell  you  w^hat  you  have  to  do  in  order  to  obtain  your 
reconciliation  with  God,  and  to  revive  in  you  the  grace  of  the  sac- 
rament which  you  have  already  received. 

As  to  you,  young  Christians,  if  you  believe  yourselves  called  to  the 
married  state,  reflect  well  before  undertaking  anything;  pray  long 
and  seriously  before  entering  that  holy  state,  and  enter  it  only  with 
good  and  holy  view^s.  Finally,  bring  that  purity  of  heart,  and  that 
nuptial  garment,  the  state  of  grace,  which  God  requires  of  you.  Thus, 
you  shall  merit  that  Jesus  will  assist  at  your  nuptials,  as  He  formerly 
assisted  at  those  of  Cana ;  that  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and  of 
Jacob  will  spread  over  you  His  abundant  blessings,  during  your  short 
pilgrimage  upon  earth,  and  that  He  will  call  you  to  assist  at  Me  nu^- 
tials  of  the  Lamb,  for  all  eternity.     Amen. 


INDEX 

FIRST   PART 
ON   FAITH   AND   THE   CREED 


PAGES 

I.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Faith  and  the  Creed  in  General. 

On  the  Catechism. —  Nature  of  Faith. —  Its  Excellence,  Necessity,  and 
Qualities. —  Where  We  Find  the  Truths  of  Faith.— Obligation  to 
Make  Acts  of  Faith S-12 

II.  INSTRUCTION.— First  Article  of  the  Creed.— On  God. 

Proofs  of  the  Existence  of  God. —  Attributes  of  God 12-18 

III.  INSTRUCTION. —  On  the  Mystery  of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity. 

Unity  of  God. —  Trinity  of  the  Divine  Persons. —  Practical  Reflections.  .      18-22 

IV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Creation. 

The  World  Did  Not  Always  Exist— God  Created  the  World.— The 

Six  Days'  Work 23-26 

V.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Angels. 

Nature  and  Perfection  of  the  Angels.— Fall  and  Punishment  of  Some. 
—  Fidelity  and  Reward  of  the  Others. —  Services  which  the  Good 
Angels  Render  to  God  and  Man 27-31 

VI.  INSTRUCTION.  — On  the  First  Man. 

Creation  of  Man.— His  Nature.— His  Destiny.— Sin  of  the  First  Man 

and  His  Punishment 31-38 

VII.  INSTRUCTION.— Second  Article  of  the  Creed.— On  Jesus 

Christ  the  Redeemer. 

Necessity  and  Promise  of  a  Redeemer. —  Men  before  Christ  Could  be 

Saved  by  Faith  in  the  Coming  Redeemer 38-42 

(517) 


5i8  INDEX 

PAGES 

VIII.  INSTRUCTION.— Mystery  of  the  Incarnation. 

Prophecies  Announcing  the  Coming  of  a  Redeemer. — Jesus  Christ  is 

both  God  and  Man. —  Two  Natures  in  One  Person 42-46 

IX.  INSTRUCTION.  —  Third  Article  of  the  Creed. —  Incarnation 

OF  the  Word. 
Mary  Chosen  to  be  the  Mother  of  God. —  Her  Perpetual  Virginity. — 
St.  Joseph,  Spouse  of  the   Blessed   Virgin  and   Foster-Father  of 
Jesus  Christ 47-51 

X.  INSTRUCTION.— Third  Article  of  the  Q,v.^-e.d.— Continued. 

Birth  of  Jesus  Christ.— Solemnity  of  Christmas.— Adoration  of  the 

Shepherds. —  Adoration  of  the  Magi 51-55 

XI.  INSTRUCTION.— Third  Article  of  the  Ckv.v.v>.— Continued. 

Childhood  of 'Jesus  Christ. —  Circumcision,  Presentation  in  the  Tem- 
ple, Flight  into  Egypt.—  Hidden  Life  of  Jesus  Christ 56-60 

XII.  INSTRUCTION.  — Third  Article  of  the  Cv^y^ys^.— Concluded. 

Public  Life  of  Jesus  Christ. —  His  Baptism,  His  Fast  in  the  Desert. — 
Preaching  of  the  Gospel. —  Holiness  of  His  Morals. —  Sublimity  of 
His  Dogmas.^  Purity  of  His  Life. —  Miracles 60-65 

XIII.  INSTRUCTION.— Fourth    Article  of   the  Creed.— Suffer- 

ings and  Death  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Passion;  of  Jesus  Christ. —  His  Words  on  the  Cross. —  His  Death. — 
Christ  Satisfied  for  the  Sins  of  all  Men. —  Respect  Due  to  the 
Cross,  the  Instrument  of  Our  Salvation.— Sign  of  the  Cross.    .  ".      66-70 

XIV.  INSTRUCT^'ION.- Fifth  and  Sixth  Articles  of  the  Creed.— 

Descent  of  Jesus  Christ  into  Hell  and 
His  Resurrection. — His  Ascension. 

Jesu?  Christ  is  Placed  into  the  Sepulchre. —  His  Soul  Descends  into 
Limbo. —  He  Rises  on  the  Third  Day. —  The  Resurrection  a  Proof 
of  His  Divinity. —  Spiritual  Resurrection  for  vi^hich  a  Christian 
should  Strive. —  Lessons  We  should  Learn  from  This  Mystery.      .      71-77 

XV.  INSTRUCTION.— Seventh  Article  of  the  Creed.— Last  Judg- 

ment. 
Particular  Judgment. —  General  Judgment. —  Signs  of  the  General  Judg- 
ment.—  Imposing   Spectacle   of   the  General  'Judgment. —  Exami- 
nation of  Conscience. —  Sentence  Pronounced. —  Elect  and  Repro- 
bate       77-82 

XVI.  INSTRUCTION.— Eighth   Article   of   the  Creed.— On   the 

Holy  Ghost. 
Existence,  Divinity,  and  Procession  of  the  Holy  Ghost. —  Operations 
■  '   '    of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  Us. —  Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the 

Apostles.^  Dispositions  Necessary  to  Receive  the  Holy  Ghost.    .      82-88 


INDEX 


519 


PAGES 

XVII.  INSTRUCTION.— Ninth   Article   of   the   Creed.— On    the 

Church  and  the  Communion  of  Saints. 
The    Meaning   of    the    Word    Church. —  Definition   of   the   Church. — 
Necessary   Conditions   to  be  a  Member  of  the   Church. —  Neces- 
sity of  Religion .'    .      88-93 

XVIII.  INSTRUCTION.  — Ninth  Article  of  the  Creed.—  Continued. 

There  Can  be  only  One  True  Religion. —  The  Christian  Religion  is 
the  True  Religion. —  The  Marks  of  Truth  which  it  Presents  are 
Prophecies,  Miracles,  the  Holiness  of  its  Doctrine,  its  Wonderful 
Effects 93-98 

XIX.  INSTRUCTION.-r  Ninth  Article   of  the  Q,^^vm.— Continued. 

Marks  of  the  True  Church. —  Unity,  Sanctity,  Catholicity. —  The  Ro- 
man Catholic  Church  Alone  is  One,  Holy,  and  Catholic,      .    .    .    98-103 

XX.  INSTRUCTION.— Ninth  Article   of   the   Ckts.^v>.— Continued. 

Apostolicity :  Origin  and  Foundation  of  the  Church. —  Primacy  and 
Jurisdiction  of  St.  Peter. —  The  Popes  the  Successors  of  SL  Peter. 
—  The  Roman  Church  Alone  is  Apostolic 103-107 

XXI.  INSTRUCTION.— Prerogatives    of    the    Church.  — There    is 

only  One  Church. 
No  Salvation  Outside  the  Church. —  Visibility  of  the  Church. — ^^Infalli- 
bility.—  Supreme  Authority. —  Perpetuity  of  the  Church 108-114 

XXII.  INSTRUCTION.—  Ninth  Article  of  the  Creed.—  Concluded. 

On  the  Communion  of  Saints. 

On  the  Communion  of  Saints. —  How  the  Faithful  in  Heaven,  in  Pur- 
gatory, and  upon  Earth  are  United  to  one  Another. —  Community 
of  Spiritual  Goods. —  Conditions  to  Partake  of  the  Communion. — 
Relations  between  Earth,  Heaven,  and  Purgatory I15-I18 

XXIII.  INSTRUCTION.— Tenth  Article  of  the  Creed.— The  Re- 

mission OF  Sins. 
God  Alone  Can  Forgive  Sins. —  He   Gave  the   Priests  the    Power  to 

Forgive  Sin. —  Sacraments  Instituted  for  the  Remission  of  Sins.  .  1 19-123 

XXIV.  INSTRUCTION.— Eleventh   Article   of   the   Creed.— The 

Resurrection  of  the  Body. 
What  We  Understand  by  the  Resurrection  of  the  Body. —  This  Truth 
is  Attested  by  both   Scripture   and   Tradition. —  Qualities  of  the 
Glorious    Bodies :    Impassibility,    Agility,    Subtility,    Brightness. — 
Frightful  State  of  the  Bodies  of  the  Damned 123-127 

XXV.  INSTRUCTION.  —  Twelfth    Article    of    the   Creed.  — Life 

Everlasting. 
Future  Life. —  Proofs  of  the  Future  Life. —  Happy  or  Unhappy  Eter- 
nity.—  Eternal   Duration  of   the  Next  Life. —  Answers  to  Objec- 
tions against  the  Eternity  of  Hell 128-133 


520 


INDEX 


XXVI.     INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Four  Last  Ends  of  Man. 

The  Last  Ends  of  Man.— The  Thought  of  Death.— We  Must  Pre- 
pare for  Death,  because  the  Time  is  Short,  the  Moment  of  Death 
is  Uncertain  and  the  Consequences  Irreparable. —  Means  to  Pre- 
pare for  Death 133-139 


SECOND   PART 

ON    HOPE   AND   PRAYER 


I.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Hope. 

Definition  of  Hope. —  Necessity,  Motives,  Qualities,  Effects  of   Hope.  140-144 

II.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Prayer. 

What  Prayer  Is. —  Two  Kinds  of  Prayer. —  Necessity  of  Prayer. —  When 

Must  We  Pray?  —  What  should  We  Pray  For? 144-149 

in.     INSTRUCTION.— On  Vv^ky^v..— Continued. 

Dispositions  to  Pray  Well. —  Preparation,  Attention,  Devotion,  Con- 
fidence, Perseverance 149-153 

IV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

Origin  of  the  Lord's  Prayer. —  Of  What  it  is  Composed. —  In  How 
Many  Ways  God  is  Our  Father. —  Explanation  of  the  P'irst  Peti- 
tion :  <<  Hallowed  be  Thy  Name.^^ — The  Second:  <<Thy  King- 
dom Come.»  —  The  Third  :«  Thy  Will  be  Done.»    153-158 

V.  INSTRUCTION.  — On  the  Lord's  'Py.kyy.^.— Concluded. 

Explanation  of  the  Fourth  Petition :  « Give  Us  This  Day  Our  Daily 
Bread."  —  Two  Kinds  of  Bread  Necessary  for  Man. —  Fifth  Peti- 
tion :  «  Forgive  Us  Our  Trespasses.'^  —  Sixth :  «  Lead  Us  not  into 
Temptation."  —  Seventh:  «  But  Deliver  Us  from  Evil."  —  Various 
Kinds  of  Evil 158-163 


INDEX  521 

PAGES 

VI.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Hail  Mary. 

Why  the  Hail  Mary  is  so  Called. —  Why  We  Say  it  after  the  «Our 
Father."  —  Of  What  it  is  Composed. —  Explanation  of  the  First 
Part  of  the  Hail  Mary 163-167 

VII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Hail  Uk^y .— Concluded. 

Explanation  of  the  Second  Part  of  the  Hail  Mary< 167-171 


THIRD   PART 

ON    CHARITY   AND   THE    COMMANDMENTS    OF   GOD    AND 

OF   THE   CHURCH 


I.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Charity  towards  God. 

What  is  Charity? — Its  Excellence. —  Its  Motives. —  Its  Characteristics.  172-177 

II.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Charity  towards  Our  Neighbor. 

Necessity  of  Charity  towards  Our  Neighbor. — Its  Motives 177-181 

III.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Charity  towards  Our  Neighbor.— 

Concluded. 
Characteristics  of  Charity  towards  Our  Neighbor. —  Must  be   Sincere 

and  Efficacious,  Pure  and  Holy,  Universal 182-185 

IV.  INSTRUCTION.  — On  Works  of  Mercy. 

Two  Kinds  of  Works  of  Mercy — Corporal  and  Spiritual. —  Burial  of 
the  Dead. —  Visiting  of  the  Sick. —  Alms-giving. —  Necessity,  Ad- 
vantages, Conditions  of  Alms-giving 186-190 

V.  INSTRUCTION.  — On  Works  of  U^hcy.— Concluded. 

Spiritual  Works  of  Mercy. —  Instruction  of  the  Ignorant — Fraternal 
Correction. —  Good  Counsel. —  Bearing  with  Faults. —  Pardon  of 
Injuries 190-194 

VI.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Mortal  Sin. 

What  Sin  Is. — Two  Kinds  of  Sin. —  Grievousness  of  Mortal  Sin. — 

Injury  which  Sin  Does  to  God. —  Evil  Consequences  of  Sin.    .    .  194-199 

VII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Venial  Sin. 

Nature  of  Venial  Sin. —  Meaning  of  the  Word  Venial. —  Difference 
between  Mortal  and  Venial  Sin. —  Two  Kinds  of  Venial  Sin. —  In- 
jury which  it  Does  to  God  and  Evil  it  Does  to  Our  Soul.  .    .    .  200-204 


522  INDEX 

ON  THE   CAPITAL   SINS 

PAGES 

VIII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Pride. 

On  the  Number  of  Capital  Sins  and  why  They  are  so  Called.—  What 
Pride  is. —  Five  Degrees  of  Pride. —  Vices  which  Arise  from  Pride: 
Vanity,  Boasting,  Hypocrisy,  Ambition,  Stubbornness. —  Grievous- 
ness  of  Pride  on  Account  of  the  Injury  it  Does  to  God  and 
the  Dangers  to  which  it  Exposes  the  Salvation  of  Our  Soul. — 
Injustice  and  Folly  of  Pride. —  Means  to  Preserve  Ourselves  from 
it  and  to  Correct  Ourselves  of  it 204-211 

IX.  INSTRUCTION.  — On  Covetousness. 

What  is  Covetousness? — Threefold  Character  which  Renders  Covet- 
ousness very  Condemnable. —  Marks  by  which  Covetousness  Can 
be  Recognized. —  Remedies  against  Covetousness 211-216 

X.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Lust. 

What  is  Lust?  —  Enormity  of  This  Vice   in  the  Eyes  of  Faith   and 

Reason. —  Fatal  Consequences  of  Lust 216-221 

XI.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Envy. 

What  is  Envy? — Malice  of  Envy. —  Means  of  Preserving  Ourselves 

from  it  or  of  Correcting  Ourselves  of  it. 221-225 

XII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Gluttony. 

What  is  Gluttony?  —  Ways  of  Sinning  by  Gluttony. —  Means  of  Pre- 
serving Ourselves  from  this  Vice. —  Drunkenness. —  Fatal  Effects 
of  Drunkenness 225-230 

XIII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Anger. 

What    is  Anger?  —  Lawful    Anger. —  Effects    of    Anger. —  Remedies 

against  Anger 231-234 

XIV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Sloth. 

What   is  Sloth?  —  Two  Kinds  of   Sloth. —  Corporal   Sloth. —  Spiritual 

Sloth. —  Remedies  against  Sloth 235-239 


ON    THE   DECALOGUE 

XV.  INSTRUCTION.— 

On  the  Decalogue  in  General. —  Promulgation  of  the  Law  on  Mount 
Sinai. —  Why  this  Solemn  Promulgation? — Why  was  the  Law  En- 
graved upon  Stone? — On  Two  Tables?  —  Obligations  to  Fulfill 
towards  the  Law. —  How  We  Must  Observe  it 239-244 

XVI.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  First  Commandment. 

What  Does  it  Mean  to  Adore  God? — How  do  We  Adore  God? — 
Interior  and  Exterior  Worship. —  Sins  against  the  First  Com- 
mandment.—  Against  Faith. —  Against  Hope. —  Against  Charity.    .  245-251 


INDEX 


523 


XVII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  First  Commandment.— C^«//««^</. 

On  the  Virtue  of  Religion. —  Sins  against  the  Virtue  of  Religion :  Ir- 
religion,  Sacrilege,  Idolatry,  Superstition.  —  Different  Kinds  of 
Superstition:  Vain  Observance,  Divination,  Magic. —  Animal  Mag- 
netism, or  Hypnotism 251-256 

XVIII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  First  Commandment.— 0«<:/«</^^. 

Veneration  of  the  Saints. —  Difference  between  the  Veneration  of  the 
Saints  and  the  Worship  of  God. — Veneration  of  the  Saints  is 
Agreeable  to  God .  and  Beneficial  to  Us.—  Veneration  of  Holy 
Relics. —  Veneration  of  Images 256-261 


XIX. 


INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Second  Commandment. 
Swearing,  Blasphemy,  Cursing 


261-266 


XX. 


INSTRUCTION. —  On  the  Second  Commandment. —  Concluded. 

Respect  Due  to  the  Holy  Name  of  God. —  Vow. —  Various  Kinds  of 
Vows. —  Conditions  Necessary  for  the  Validity  of  a  Vow. —  Merit 
of  Vows. —  Obligation  to  Fulfill  Them 266-270 

XXI.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Third  Commandment. 

Obligation  to  Keep  the  Sunday  Holy. —  Servile  Works  Forbidden  on 
Sunday. —  Reasons  Permitting  Work  on  Sunday. —  We  Must 
Avoid  on  Sunday  Sin  More  than  Servile  Work 271-276 

XXII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Third  Commandment.  — C"<7«f//^^^^. 

How  to  Sanctify  the  Sunday. —  Assistance  at  Mass. —  How  We  Must 
Assist. —  Other  Works  to  Sanctify  the  Sunday. —  Assisting  at  the 
Instructions,  Vespers,  and  Benediction 276-281 

XXIII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Fourth  Commandment. 

Duties  of  Parents  towards  Their  Children. —  Duties  which  Concern 
the  Body. —  Watching  over  the  Preservation  of  Their  Children.— 
Providing  for  Their  Support.—  Procuring  for  Them  a  Becoming 
Establishment 281-286 

XXIV.  INSTRUCTION. —  On    the     Fourth     Commandment.— C^w- 

tinued. 
Duties  of  Parents  Concerning  tlie  Souls  of  Their  Children :    Parents 
Should    Instruct    Them. — Watch    over    Them. —  Correct    Them. 
—  Give  Them  Good  Example. —  Pray  for  Them 286-291 

XXV.  INSTRUCTION.  —  On     the     Fourth     Commandment.  —  Con- 

tinued. 
Duties  of  Children   towards   Their   Parents:   Children  Should   Love 
Their  Parents. —  Respect  Them. —  Obey  Them. —  Whom,  in  What, 
and    How    Must   They   Obey  ?  —  Assist    Them    in   Their    Spirit- 
ual and  Corporal  Needs 291-296 


524  INDEX 

PAGES 

XXVI.  INSTRUCTION.— On    the    Fourth    Commandment.  —  Ctf«- 

tinued. 

Duties  of  Fathers-in-Law  and  Mothers-in-Law. —  Duties  of  Sons-in- 
Law  and  Daughters- in- Law. —  Duties  of  Brothers  and  Sisters  to- 
wards One  Another.  —  Duties  towards  Their  Pastors.  —  Duties 
towards  Other  Superiors.  —  Mutual  Duties  of  Teachers  and  Schol- 
ars.—  Duties  of  Masters  toward  Their  Servants 297-303 

XXVII.  INSTRUCTION.— On    the    Fourth    Commandment.— Ctf«- 

cluded. 

Duties  of  Servants  towards  Their  Masters :  Respect,  Obedience,  Serv- 
ice, and  Fidelity 303-307 

XXVIII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Fifth  Commandment. 

Murder. —  Homicide. —  Lawfulness  of    Homicide. —  Duels. —  Suicide. — 

Hatred. —  Anger. —  Revenge. —  Lawsuits 307-311 

XXIX.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Fifth  Commandment.— C^«r/«^^dr. 

Spiritual  Homicide  or  Scandal. —  Manner  of  Rendering  Ourselves 
Guilty  of  Scandal. —  Gravity  of  Scandal. —  Difficulty  and  Means 
to  Repair  it 312-315 

XXX.  INSTRUCTION.  — On  the  Sixth  Commandment. 

Ways  of  Falling  into  the  Sin  of  Impurity :  By  Thoughts,  Desires,  Re- 
gards, Words,  Actions. —  Ordinary  Causes  of  This  Sin. —  Remedies.  316-323 

XXXI.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Seventh  Commandment. 

What  it  Forbids. —  Nature  of  Theft. —  Its  Different  Species. —  Its  Mal- 
ice.—  Pretexts  Alleged  for  Stealing 323-327 

XXXII.  INSTRUCTION.— On    the   Seventh    Commandment.— C<?«- 

tinued. 

Injustices  in  Contracts. —  In  Sales. —  In  Purchases. —  In  Loans. —  Usury 

is  Forbidden 327-332 

XXXIII.  INSTRUCTION.  — On  the  Seventh   Commandment.— 0«- 

tinued. 

Injustices  in  Contracts. — Continued:  In  Leases. —  In  Promises. —  In 
Donations. —  In  Wills. —  In  Marriages. —  In  Games. —  In  Lawsuits. 
—  In  the  Various  States  and  Professions 332-335 

XXXIV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Seventh   Commandment.— C(7«- 

cluded. 

Unjust  Keeping  of  the  Property  of  Another. —  Bad  Debtors. —  Unfaith- 
ful Trustees. — Objects  Found. —  Damages  Caused  to  One's  Neigh- 
bor.—  Restitution 33^-340 


INDEX  e25 

PAGES 

XXXV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Eighth  Commandment. 

What  it  Forbids. —  False  Testimony. —  Obligation  to  Repair  the  Wrong. 
—  Lies  and  Equivocations. —  Three  Kinds  of  Lies. —  Every  Lie  is 
a  Sin. —  Conventional  Equivocations 340-345 

XXXVI.  INSTRUCTION.— On    the    Eighth    Commandment.  — Ci7«- 

tinued. 

Detraction,  Calumny,  and  Backbiting. —  Gravity  of  Calumny  and  De- 
traction.—  Case  Where  Detraction  is  no  Sin. —  We  are  Never  Per- 
mitted to  Listen  to  Detraction. —  Obligation  and  Means  to  Repair 
Calumny  and  Detraction 346-351 

XXXVII.  INSTRUCTION.— On   the   Eighth   Commandment.— C^«- 

cliided. 
Flattery. —  Rash   Judgments.— Doubts    and    Suspicions. —  Violation  of 

the  Secret. —  Secrecy  of  Letters. —  General  Conclusion 351-355 

XXXVIII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Commandments  of  the  Church. 

Power  Given  to  the  Church  to  Impose  Laws  upon  Us. —  Second  Com- 
mandment of  the  Church  : —  Lent,  Ember-Days,  and  Vigils. —  Ab- 
stinence.—Reasons  for  This  Law 35^3^1 

XXXIX.  INSTRUCTION.— On    the     Second     Commandment.— C^«- 

tinued. 

On  Fasting  in  General. —  Conditions  of  Fasting. —  Ends  which  the 
Church  Proposes  in  Prescribing  Fasting. —  Reasons  which  Dis- 
pense from  Fasting 361-366 

XL.     INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Third  and  Fourth  Commandments  of 

THE  Church. 

Annual  Confession. —  Decree  of  the  Lateran  Council. —  Fourth  Com- 
mandment :  Easter  Communion 366-370 

XLI.     INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Fifth  Commandment  of  the  Church. 

—  On  the  Support  of  Our  Pastors. 

370-373 

XLII.     INSTRUCTION.  —  On  the  Sixth  Commandment  of  the  Church. 

—  On  Mixed  Marriages. 

God  Forbids  Mixed  Marriages. —  How  We  Catholics  Look  upon  Mar 
riage. —  The  Church  Law  is  Wise  and  Just. —  Misapprehension  in 
Reference  to  Mixed  Marriage. —  Mixed  Marriages  are  Forbidden 
by  the  Scriptures  and  by  the  Law  of  Nature  on  Account  of  the 
Many  Dangers. —  Several  Dangers. —  Conditions  to  Enter  a  Mixed 
Marriage. —  Why  the  Church  is  Opposed  to  Mixed  Marriages. — 
Causes  of  Mixed  Marriages 373-3^0 


526  ^  INDEX 

FOURTH   PART 
ON   GRACE   AND   THE   SACRAMENTS 


PAGES 

I.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Grace. 

On  Grace  in  General. —  Two  Kinds  of  Grace. —  Excellence  of  Sancti- 
fying Grace. —  Actual  Grace. —  Necessity  of  Grace.  —  Abuse  of 
Grace 381-386 

II.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Sacraments  in  General. 

Definition  of  a  Sacrament. —  Essentials  of  a  Sacrament. —  Institution 

of  the  Sacraments. —  Effects  of  the  Sacraments 387-392 

III.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Baptism. 

Nature  of  Baptism. —  Necessity  of  Baptism. —  Manner  of  Administer- 
ing Baptism 392-397 

IV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Baftisja.— Concludeif. 

Ceremonies  of  Baptism. —  Promises  of  Baptism. —  Godfathers  and  God- 
mothers :  Their  Obligations ;  Requirements 397-401 

V.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation. 

Nature  of  Confirmation. —  Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  Imprint. — 
The  Bishop  is  the  Minister  of  This  Sacrament. —  Necessity  of  Re- 
ceiving it. —  Ceremonies  of  Confirmation. —  Preparation  for  Con- 
firmation   401-406 

« 

VI.  INSTRUCTION. —  On  the  Sacrament  of  the  Blessed  Eucharist. 

Real  Presence. —  Meaning  of  the  Word  Eucharist. —  Various  Names 
of  the  Eucharist. —  Figures  of  the  Eucharist. —  Proofs  of  the  Real 
Presence 406-412 

VII.  INSTRUCTION.— Duties    of    the    Christian    Soul    to    Jesus 

Christ  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament. 
Respect. —  Devotion  and  Piety 412-415 

VIII.  INSTRUCTION.— On   Communion.— Its  Effects.— Frequent 

Communion. 

415-419 

IX.  INSTRUCTION.— Dispositions  for  Communion. 

Dispositions  of  the  Body. —  Preparation  of  the  Soul. —  Unworthy  Com- 
munion and  its  Effects 420-425 

X.  INSTRUCTION. —  On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  —  Its  Nature, 

Its  Excellence,  Its  Effects. 

425-431 


INDEX 


PAGES 


XI.  INSTRUCTION. —  Manner  of  Assisting  at  Mass. 

To  Whom  is  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  Offered  ?  —  Why  is  the  Sacri- 
fice of  the  Mass  Offered  ?  —  Dispositions  to  Assist  at  Mass  :  Faith, 
Respect,  Contrition,  Confidence. —  Particular  Method  of  Hearing 
Mass 431-438 

XII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 

Penance  Considered  as  a  Virtue. —  As  a  Sacrament. —  The  Power 
Given  of  Remitting  Sins. —  Effects  of  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 
—  Necessity  of  this  Sacrament 438-442 

XIII.  INSTRUCTION.— Examination  of  Conscience, 

Necessity  of  the  Examination. —  Manner  of  Making  It 443-446 

XIV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Contrition. 

Meaning  of  the  Word  Contrition. —  Nature  of  Contrition. —  Necessity. 

— Characters 446-451 

XV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Q,o^iv.\t\o^.— Concluded. 

Two  Kinds  of  Contrition. —  Necessity  of  Attrition. —  Its  Conditions. — 

Marks  of  a  Real  Contrition 451-457 

XVI.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Confession. 

Definition  of  Confession. —  Necessity  of  Confession. —  Pretexts  to  Dis- 
pense Oneself  from  Confession. —  Advantages  of  Confession.    .    .  457-464 

XVII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Confession.— 0«/z««^^/. 

In  What  the  Integrity  of  Confession  Consists. —  Confession  of  Venial 
Sins. —  Necessity  of  Confessing  all  Mortal  Sins. —  Pretexts  to  Dis- 
pense Oneself  from  the  Integrity  of  Confession 464-469 

XVIII.  INSTRUCTION.  — On  Confession.— Ow^/^^^a'. 

Confession  Must  be  Humble.— Simple. —  Prudent. — Manner  of  Con- 
fessing   469-474 

XIX.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Satisfaction. 

Satisfaction  in  General.— Temporal  Punishment  Which  Remains  after 
Sin  is  Expiated. —  Means  of  Satisfying  God's  Justice. —  The  Obli- 
gation of  the  Confessor  to  Impose  a  Penance. —  Obligation  of  the 
Penitent  to  Perform  the  Penance  Imposed 474-481 

XX.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Indulgences. 

What  We  Understand  by  Indulgences. —  The  Church  Has  the  Power 
to  Grant  Indulgences. —  Indulgences  do  not  Dispense  Us  from 
Doing  Penance. —  Plenary  and  Partial  Indulgences. —  Dispositions 
Necessary  to  Gain  Indulgences 481-487 


528 


INDEX 


XXI.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Purgatory. 

Proofs  of  the  Existence  of  Purgatory. —  Suffering  of  Purgatory. — Our 
Duties  towards  the  Poor  Souls  in  Purgatory. —  Manner  of  Assist- 
ing the  Poor  Souls 487-493 

XXII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Extreme  Unction. 

Why  This  Sacrament  is  thus  Called. —  Its  Effects. —  Its  Necessity. — 
When  Should  it  be  Received  ?  —  Minister  of  this  Sacrament. — 
Manner  of  Administering  It. —  Dispositions  Necessary  to  Re- 
ceive It 493-499 

XXIII.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Holy  Orders. 

Definition  of  Holy  Order. —  Principal  Effects  of  This  Sacrament. —  Ton- 
sure, Minor  Orders,  Major  or  Sacred  Orders,  Dignity  of  the  Priest- 
hood.—  Duties  to  Priests. —  Vocation  to  the  Ecclesiastical  State.  .  499-505 

XXIV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Matrimony. 

Marriage  has  been  Instituted  by  God  Since  the  Beginning  of  the 
World. —  Essential  Characters  of  Marriage. —  Marriage  is  a  Sacra- 
ment.—  Impediments  of  Marriage. —  Obligations  of  Married  Per- 
sons   505-510 

XXV.  INSTRUCTION.— On  Uatki^o^y.—  Concluded. 

Dispositions  for  Marriage. —  Vocation,  Pure  Intention,  State  of  Grace.  511-516 


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